What happened to the tugboat off Busan and how many people were affected?

The tugboat capsized in waters off Busan and left one crew member dead and six others missing. Two crew members were rescued, including one Indonesian seafarer and one South Korean who was later pronounced dead.

Why were rescue efforts for the Busan tugboat capsizing difficult?

The Coast Guard said the search faced rough conditions, with waves reaching up to 1.5 meters and wind speeds of up to 6 meters per second. Those conditions came as rescue teams searched for the six missing crew members.

What did President Lee Jae Myung order after the Busan tugboat accident?

President Lee Jae Myung instructed authorities to mobilize all available resources for the search and rescue effort after the tugboat capsized. The order came as the Coast Guard and Navy were already deploying vessels and aircraft to the scene.

1 dead, 6 missing after tugboat capsizes in waters off Busan

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Summary

A tugboat capsized in waters off Busan on Wednesday, leaving one crew member dead and six others missing. The 286-ton vessel overturned at 1:29 p.m. after leaving Busan Port in the morning to tow a commercial ship. One Indonesian crew member and one South Korean crew member were rescued, and President Lee Jae Myung ordered authorities to mobilize all available resources for search and rescue.

Key Facts

The tugboat had six South Korean and two Indonesian crew members aboard.
The vessel completely sank at 3:27 p.m., about two hours after capsizing.
The Coast Guard dispatched 13 vessels for the search, while the Navy sent the ROKS Gwangyang salvage and rescue ship and other vessels and aircraft.
Search operations were being hampered by waves of up to 1.5 meters and winds of up to 6 meters per second.

By Yonhap

Published Sep 2, 2026 3:08 pm KST
Updated Sep 2, 2026 6:01 pm KST

A Coast Guard vessel carries out rescue operations in response to a capsized tugboat in waters off the southeastern city of Busan, Wednesday. Courtesy of Busan Coast Guard

BUSAN — A tugboat capsized in waters off the southeastern city of Busan on Wednesday, leaving one crew member dead and six others missing, the Coast Guard said.

The 286-ton vessel, carrying six South Korean and two Indonesian crew members, overturned in the waters at 1:29 p.m. after setting off from Busan Port in the morning to tow a commercial ship, according to the Coast Guard.

An Indonesian crew member in his 50s was rescued by the 66,332-ton Liberia-flagged commercial vessel, while the Coast Guard rescued a South Korean crew member in his 50s, who was found unconscious.

Coast Guard officials rushed the South Korean crew member to a hospital, but he was later pronounced dead.

The Coast Guard said it dispatched 13 vessels for the search efforts for the missing, while the Navy deployed the ROKS Gwangyang salvage and rescue ship and other vessels and aircraft for the operation.

The Coast Guard said search efforts face difficulties due to waves reaching up to 1.5 meters in height and wind speeds of up to 6 meters per second.

The tugboat completely sank in the waters at 3:27 p.m., about two hours after capsizing, according to the Coast Guard.

President Lee Jae Myung has instructed authorities to mobilize all available resources for the search and rescue efforts.

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