One seafarer has died and six remain missing after the tug TNS Catcher capsized while assisting a containership off Busan on Wednesday.
The 286-tonne tug overturned at around 1.29pm, about 9 km east of Oryukdo, while working with two other tugs to manoeuvre the MSC Ikaria VI, a 5,576 teu, Liberia-flagged containership.
Of the eight people onboard, one Indonesian crewmember was rescued. A South Korean seafarer was recovered unconscious and later died in hospital, while six others remain unaccounted for.
Investigators now believe TNS Catcher may have been overwhelmed by towline tension while changing course.
Busan Coast Guard said two tugs were pulling from either side of the containership’s bow while a third pushed from the stern. TNS Catcher, positioned on the starboard bow, was turning to starboard when it rolled sharply to port and capsized.
Officials believe the vessel’s speed and timing may have been mismatched during the manoeuvre, although it has not yet been confirmed whether the tug became snagged on the towline. A collision with the containership has been ruled out.
CCTV footage from the containership shows TNS Catcher beginning the turn before rolling over.
The tug later sank and has been located at a depth of around 87 m, 6.5 km east of Songjeong Port.
Poor underwater visibility has hampered a Navy ROV search. The coast guard has expanded the search area to 66 km by 40 km, deploying 24 vessels and seven aircraft.
A 41-strong investigation team has secured AIS, VDR and CCTV data as authorities work to establish the exact cause.
