Three killed, 19 injured after fishing boat collides with bridge in South Korea

SEOUL: Three people were killed and 19 others were injured after a fishing boat collided with a bridge pier on South Korea's west coast on Saturday, informed the Korea Coast Guard.

The accident occurred at around 5:41 am when the 9.77-ton boat carrying 21 recreational fishermen and a skipper collided with one of the piers of a bridge connecting Anmyeon Island and Wonsan Island, reported Yonhap News Agency.

Lee Sung-il, a Coast Guard spokesperson, said that three out of four men found unconscious by the Coast Guard were pronounced dead after arrival at hospitals, while the fourth remained in critical condition.

He further informed that 19 men, including a 42-year-old skipper by the name Woo, were being treated at nearby hospitals for minor and serious injuries.

Lee mentioned that the skipper is believed to have failed to see a bridge pier due to darkness as his boat was travelling at between 15 and 18 nautical miles (27 and 33 kilometres) per hour.

According to Yonhap News Agency, some people have opined that the fishing boat could have sped up to find a better spot for fishing, highlighting the need to regulate recreational fishing hours to after sunrise and before sunset for heightened safety.

Currently, fishing boats are allowed to leave the port after 4 am and arrive before 8 pm.