Fishing boats came to the rescue of a South Korean sightseeing tour boat that grounded Tuesday with some 110 people aboard.
According to reports, the sightseeing vessel ‘Vacance’ ran aground Tuesday morning off Hong-do Island, part of the Dadohaehaesang National Park located off the southwestern coast of South Korea.
All 110 passengers and crew were rescued with the help of local fishing boats at the request of the South Korean Coast Guard. Two, maybe three people were sustained minor injuries in the accident, according to reports.
Photos of the vessel show the vessel listing just off the rock coast of the island.
The grounding of the vessel brought back memories of the Sewol ferry disaster earlier this year, which killed 294 people, most of whom were high school students on a class trip. South Korean President Park Geun Hye subsequently apologized to the nation over the tragedy and said she would disband the coast guard for its botched rescue operation.
REUTERS/South Korean Coast Guard/YonhapREUTERS/South Korean Coast Guard/Yonhap
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August 13, 2026
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