Fishing Boat Collides with Cargo Ship off Gunsan Coast Due to Autopilot Error

A fishing boat collided with a 44,000-ton cargo ship early on May 26 near the west coast of South Korea, off Gunsan city, after the fishing boat’s autopilot system was not set correctly. The accident occurred around 4:56 a.m., about 11 kilometers southeast of Eocheong Island.

The South Korean Coast Guard found the fishing boat’s bow deeply embedded into the portside bow of the cargo ship, making movement impossible. They attached a tow line to the fishing vessel and carefully separated the two ships before towing them back to port for inspection and further investigation.

There were no injuries reported among the 19 crew members aboard the cargo ship or the six people on the fishing boat, which had departed early that morning from Daecheon Port in Boryeong for crab fishing.

The Coast Guard confirmed the fishing boat’s captain had failed to properly operate the autopilot, which led to the collision. The officials found that one more person was on board the fishing vessel than listed on its crew manifest. This unregistered crew member was a Vietnamese national and is currently under investigation for possible illegal entry.

The collision caused damage to the portside bow of the cargo ship, tearing a section approximately 2.2 meters long and 35 centimeters wide. However, the cargo ship’s double-hull structure prevented more serious damage, and no marine pollution was reported.

This incident marks the fourth collision in the past six months in the Gunsan sea region linked to the use of autopilot systems. The Coast Guard warned that cargo ships often wait offshore for long periods due to unloading delays, creating busy and potentially dangerous navigation conditions for smaller vessels.

A Coast Guard official stated that autopilot systems lack automatic collision avoidance functions, so captains must remain alert and exercise caution while navigating.

The fishing boat and cargo ship are currently undergoing repairs and insurance assessments. Meanwhile, the Coast Guard continues investigating the precise circumstances of the collision and the presence of the unregistered crew member.

References: Yna, koreajoongangdaily