LSN News › Singapore

World · Singapore Bureau

One dead, six missing after tugboat capsizes near Busan

A tugboat has capsized off South Korea's port city of Busan, leaving one crew member dead and six others unaccounted for. Rescue operations are ongoing to locate the missing personnel.

LSN Singapore · 2 September 2026

One dead, six missing after tugboat capsizes near Busan

A 57-year-old South Korean crew member has died following the capsizing of a tugboat off Busan, one of the world's busiest container ports. The man was discovered unconscious inside the overturned vessel and was subsequently transported to hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

The incident has triggered a search and rescue operation for six crew members still missing from the vessel. Authorities have deployed multiple rescue teams to comb the waters near the capsizing site, though details about the exact location and circumstances leading to the vessel's overturning remain unclear.

Tugboat operations are critical to port logistics in Busan, assisting larger vessels with maneuvering and docking procedures. The incident underscores the occupational hazards faced by maritime workers in the region's heavily trafficked waters.