Indonesian Fishermen Missing After Vessel Sinks in South Korean Waters

The Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has confirmed that two Indonesian migrant workers employed as crew members on a South Korean fishing vessel remain missing following a maritime accident in the waters off Busan. Director of Protection for Indonesian Citizens, Heni Hamidah, stated that the search process by local authorities is still following applicable procedures in South Korea. “As of now, they have not been found, and according to local regulations, the search conducted by the Coast Guard lasts for 3x24 hours. After that, the search is only carried out by vessels interacting in the area,” Heni said during a press conference in Jakarta on Wednesday. Heni stressed that the Directorate will continue to provide assistance to the victims’ families and maintain intensive communication regarding the progress of the search for the two Indonesian crew members. The incident was previously reported to have occurred on 25 June, when a South Korean fishing vessel carrying six Indonesian crew members was involved in an accident near the Busan waters. The vessel reportedly sank after colliding with a liquefied petroleum gas carrier weighing approximately 992 tonnes that was passing through the area. At the time of the accident, there were eight crew members on board the fishing vessel, consisting of six Indonesian nationals and two South Korean nationals. In the incident, some crew members were successfully rescued, while two Indonesian nationals are still declared missing and have not been found by the search team. “At the time of the incident, there were 8 crew members on board the fishing vessel, consisting of 6 Indonesian nationals and 2 South Korean nationals. Of that number, 6 crew members (4 of whom were Indonesian nationals) were successfully rescued, while the other 2 Indonesian crew members are still in the search process,” Heni stated. The Indonesian government, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, continues to monitor the progress of the search operation and coordinate with South Korean authorities to ensure the best handling for the victims and the affected families.