The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
  • Login
  • Register
  • Login
  • Register
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
  • 1

    People attempt to cut surging heating costs with creative solutions

  • 3

    BLACKPINK sets 6 more Guinness records

  • 5

    TXT brings together 'pansori' and fairy tale in new song 'Sugar Rush Ride'

  • 7

    Cabinet ministries turn deaf ear to watchdog's advice on sexual minorities

  • 9

    More Korean manufacturers enjoy Georgia's hospitality

  • 11

    National pension anticipated to be fully drained in 2055: NPS

  • 13

    Superintendent of Seoul Education Office gets suspended jail term

  • 15

    Opposition leader Lee claims innocence in corruption probe

  • 17

    12 websites still unavailable after Chinese cyberattacks

  • 19

    Wall Street climbs to hit best level in nearly eight weeks

  • 2

    Senior US general warns of possible looming war with China

  • 4

    Jang Keun-suk steps out of his comfort zone with 'The Bait'

  • 6

    ENA's new dating show to spotlight young adult's romance

  • 8

    Bad weather disrupts operation of Jeju airport again after 3 days

  • 10

    Seoul to work with Hanoi to pursue peace on Korean peninsula

  • 12

    Korea's rice consumption hits another low in 2022: data

  • 14

    SK E&S retains gov't support for Barossa gas project in Australia

  • 16

    Police to build disaster prediction system to prevent recurrence of Itaewon tragedy

  • 18

    Indonesia celebrates 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties with Korea via virtual event

  • 20

    LGES to capitalize on US IRA, Tesla partnership to continue record earnings

Close scrollclosebutton

Close for 24 hours

Open
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
National
  • Forestry
Sun, January 29, 2023 | 02:27
Gov't to send military aircraft to rescue tourists in Saipan
Posted : 2018-10-26 22:26
Updated : 2018-10-27 10:02
Kim Jae-heun
Print PreviewPrint Preview
Font Size UpFont Size Up
Font Size DownFont Size Down
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • kakaolink
  • whatsapp
  • reddit
  • mailto
  • link
Debris is scattered after typhoon Yutu hit the U.S. Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in Garapan, Saipan, Thursday. / Yonhap
Debris is scattered after typhoon Yutu hit the U.S. Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in Garapan, Saipan, Thursday. / Yonhap

By Kim Jae-heun

The government decided to dispatch a military transport plane to help bring 1,800 tourists home from the resort island of Saipan after it was battered by a super typhoon.

"The military transport plane will carry Korean tourists from Saipan to Guam, while a rapid response team will supply food, medicine and water. The special plane will arrive in Saipan by Saturday," the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said in a statement, late Friday, adding the decision came after relevant government agencies including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of National Defense agreed to initiate the rescue plan in an emergency meeting.

The government promptly requested permission for airspace and airport landing at Saipan International Airport. The aircraft will transport Korean tourists to nearby Guam in the West Pacific, where the country's flagship carriers will bring them back to Seoul and Busan.

"Because of the maximum occupancy limit of the military plane, it will take time to move all Korean tourists to Guam from Saipan. Once the military plane arrives in Saipan, the plane will move up to 150 Korean tourists to Guam per day. Depending on the situation, the government may send an additional military plane," the transport ministry said, adding only military aircraft can take off and land at the Saipan airport during the daytime.

The military plane is known to have a capacity of 90 people. The ministry says there are limits to carrying 1,800 stranded tourists to Guam within half a day using only one aircraft.

Saipan is 220 kilometers from Guam. It takes 40 minutes to travel the distance by plane.

The Saipan airport will reopen as of Sunday, but the government understands the situation there is worse than what is reported and says it cannot just wait.

Typhoon Yutu struck the West Pacific island with wind speeds reaching 210 kilometers per hour, Thursday, devastating its airport, homes and other important facilities such as hospitals and power grids. Korean tourists there remained stranded.

The Saipan airport closed down immediately.

"We will decide whether to operate an additional flight to Saipan when the airport is operational again," said an official of the country's second-largest flagship carrier Asiana Airlines.

Low-cost carrier Jeju Air has also posted a notice on its official website saying it has canceled all flights to Saipan, but it was still operating service to Guam.

The foreign ministry said Friday no deaths or serious injuries had been reported among Korean tourists or residents there.

"Most of the Korean tourists are said to have stayed in their hotels due to the cancellations of flights. We've prepared an emergency operation team there to help our people. We will do everything we can," a foreign ministry official said.

However, many Korean tourists are complaining about problems in Saipan.

"Many of the Korean tourists visiting Saipan are in families," a Korean tourist told a local media outlet.

"The typhoon has made it difficult to look after our young children. We are having a hard time buying diapers and powdered formula for our baby. Also the typhoon hit our hotel and there are pieces of broken glass everywhere in the room. The hotel was shaking and my children and I hid in a closet in fear. Rainwater was pouring into the room."

According to CNN, Yutu could be considered the strongest typhoon ever to hit Saipan and one of the most powerful typhoons this year.

The typhoon battered Saipan and other small islands for seven hours, destroying houses and trees. One person was killed.


Emailjhkim@koreatimes.co.kr Article ListMore articles by this reporter
 
wooribank
Top 10 Stories
1People attempt to cut surging heating costs with creative solutions People attempt to cut surging heating costs with creative solutions
2Cabinet ministries turn deaf ear to watchdog's advice on sexual minorities Cabinet ministries turn deaf ear to watchdog's advice on sexual minorities
3More Korean manufacturers enjoy Georgia's hospitality More Korean manufacturers enjoy Georgia's hospitality
4Seoul to work with Hanoi to pursue peace on Korean peninsula Seoul to work with Hanoi to pursue peace on Korean peninsula
5Superintendent of Seoul Education Office gets suspended jail term Superintendent of Seoul Education Office gets suspended jail term
6SK E&S retains gov't support for Barossa gas project in Australia SK E&S retains gov't support for Barossa gas project in Australia
7Indonesia celebrates 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties with Korea via virtual event Indonesia celebrates 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties with Korea via virtual event
8LGES to capitalize on US IRA, Tesla partnership to continue record earnings LGES to capitalize on US IRA, Tesla partnership to continue record earnings
9KT&G aims to become global top-tier company KT&G aims to become global top-tier company
10Middle East 'sales diplomacy' picks up speed Middle East 'sales diplomacy' picks up speed
Top 5 Entertainment News
1BLACKPINK sets 6 more Guinness records BLACKPINK sets 6 more Guinness records
2Jang Keun-suk steps out of his comfort zone with 'The Bait' Jang Keun-suk steps out of his comfort zone with 'The Bait'
3Shunsuke Michieda overwhelmed by Korean fans' support for his coming-of-age film Shunsuke Michieda overwhelmed by Korean fans' support for his coming-of-age film
4TXT brings together 'pansori' and fairy tale in new song 'Sugar Rush Ride' TXT brings together 'pansori' and fairy tale in new song 'Sugar Rush Ride'
5Kim Hyun-joo says humanity is at heart of action film 'Jung_E' Kim Hyun-joo says humanity is at heart of action film 'Jung_E'
DARKROOM
  • Nepal plane crash

    Nepal plane crash

  • Brazil capital uprising

    Brazil capital uprising

  • Happy New Year 2023

    Happy New Year 2023

  • World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

    World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

  • World Cup 2022 France vs Morocco

    World Cup 2022 France vs Morocco

wooribank
CEO & Publisher : Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email : webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel : 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No : 서울,아52844
Date of registration : 2020.02.05
Masthead : The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Services
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Site Map
  • Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Ombudsman
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group