A diver in their 20s died while working underwater for a ship inspection at the HD Hyundai Mipo Ulsan Shipyard.
According to the Ulsan Fire Department and Ulsan Coast Guard, a 119 emergency call was received at 1:24 p.m. reporting that a diver in their 20s, referred to as A, had not resurfaced past the allowable dive time near the HD Hyundai Mipo Quay 1 in Bangoe-dong, Dong-gu, Ulsan.
A was discovered by an underwater drone at 3:34 p.m. and was brought to the surface by fire department divers at 4:03 p.m. A was found in a state of cardiac arrest. A medical officer overseeing the emergency care decided not to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and A was transported to a nearby hospital, where A was pronounced dead. Typically, CPR is withheld only if clear signs of death, like postmortem rigidity, are present.
A was confirmed to be an employee of an external partner company associated with HD Hyundai Mipo. It was reported that A had entered the water at approximately 11:30 a.m. to inspect the bottom of a ship under construction. According to the company, A was equipped with safety gear and working alone at the time of entry.
According to the Ulsan Coast Guard and Ministry of Employment and Labor, it is standard for diving operations to be carried out in pairs. The method involves the underwater worker attaching a signal line when entering the water, with a shore-based observer monitoring the situation by the number of times the line is tugged to indicate danger.
An official from the Ministry said, “The Special Investigation Department for Serious Accidents of the Busan Regional Office and the Ulsan Branch's Industrial Accident Prevention Division have immediately launched an investigation into the accident,” noting that strict measures, including partial suspension of work, have been enforced.
biz.chosun.com
