Fishing Boat Collides with Cargo Ship After Setting Autopilot Incorrectly

A unit of the South Korean Coast Guard is reporting that they found a fishing boat wedged into the bow of a cargo ship when they reached the scene of the collision off the west coast near the city of Gunsan earlier today. There were no injuries but both vessels sustained damage.

The Coast Goard reports the fishing boat had departed overnight from a port to the north near Boryeong reporting it had six people aboard. The fishing vessel was approximately 7 miles southeast of one of the offshore islands in the region when it collided around 0500 on May 26 with a 44,000-ton cargo ship. 

None of the 19 crew on the unnamed cargo ship or the crew of the fishing vessel were injured. The vessels however were wedged together. The Coast Guard reports it was able to pull the fishing vessel away from the cargo ship and moved both vessels into port for an inspection and investigation.

The fishing boat had set out to go crab fishing. The Coast Guard is saying the vessel’s autopilot had not been properly activated reports the Korean news agency Yonhap. 

They are quoting the Coast Guard as saying it was the fourth accident in the past six months when autopilot contributed to an accident in the waters near Gunsan. With so many cargo ships holding offshore for extended periods, the Coast Guard is warning local boats need to be more careful in the regional waters.