▲ Korea Coast Guard
The Donghae Coast Guard has prevented potential maritime accidents by swiftly recovering a large refrigerator that was drifting near the passenger ship route between Donghae and Ulleungdo.
The Donghae Coast Guard's 306 patrol vessel announced on June 18 that it discovered a household refrigerator, measuring approximately 1.8 meters in length and weighing about 150kg, floating in the water while conducting patrol operations about 22km east of Donghae Port at 9:40 a.m. on June 17.
At the time, the refrigerator was drifting near the route used by passenger ships, posing a significant risk of causing collisions or becoming entangled in ship propellers.
The crew members on the patrol vessel immediately deployed a small boat to secure the floating object and safely recovered it using the ship's marine crane.
After returning to port, the recovered refrigerator will be handed over to the Korea Marine Environment Management Corporation to undergo waste disposal procedures in accordance with relevant regulations.
A Donghae Coast Guard official stated, "Large waste floating at sea is not just an environmental issue but can also be a hazard that threatens the safety of vessels," adding, "We will do our utmost to protect the lives and property of the public by swiftly removing any hazards discovered during our maritime patrol operations."
(Photo: Provided by Korea Coast Guard, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.