Japan, Korea, and Russia Coordinate to Rescue Three North Korean Seafarers

In a rare example of maritime cooperation among unlikely participants, three North Korean seafarers were rescued from their sinking boat while a search is ongoing for a fourth missing individual. South Korea helped to organize the search, asking for the assistance of Japan and Russia.

As with anything involving North Korea, the details are scarce. The reports indicate that a North Korean cargo ship was towing a smaller boat which got into trouble in international waters approximately 65 miles southwest of Japan’s Oki islands and 125 miles from Pohang City, Korea.

The South Korean Navy reported the incident, saying that four people were believed to have been aboard the boat. The South Korean Coast Guard dispatched two patrol boats and an aircraft, aided by naval ships. It also alerted the fishing community.

At the same time, the East Sea Region of the South Korean Coast Guard requested search and rescue cooperation from Japan and Russia’s rescue authorities. The regional office of the Japan Coast Guard reported that it joined the search with patrol vessels and aircraft.

The Japan Coast Guard located three of the missing people on Thursday, September 17. It reports that two of the victims were conscious when recovered, but the third was not. A fourth person remains missing, and the search was continuing.

The Acting Chief of the East Sea Korea Coast Guard, Lee Jong-wook, told reporters that they had acted swiftly. He said they responded “in accordance with international and humanitarian principles that prioritize saving lives.”