25 vessels to be deployed at Han River bus ferry dock

Drill to cover passenger rescue, firefighting and vessel towing

Comprehensive water-accident response exercises to expand to twice a year

A firefighting drill conducted aboard a Han River cruise vessel. [Seoul Metropolitan Government]
A firefighting drill conducted aboard a Han River cruise vessel. [Seoul Metropolitan Government]

The Seoul Metropolitan Government is stepping up its water-accident response capabilities to ensure the safety of passengers aboard large vessels on the Han River, whose numbers have grown with the launch of the Han River bus ferry service.

The city announced Friday that it will expand its comprehensive water-accident response drill from once to twice a year. As part of that expansion, a full-scale exercise simulating a cruise ship fire and passenger rescue will be held Tuesday near the Yeouido Han River bus ferry dock.

The drill, organized by the city's Future Han River Headquarters, will bring together public institutions and private operators including the 119 Water Rescue Unit, the Han River Police Unit, the Yeongdeungpo Fire Station, the Yeongdeungpo Police Station, the Seoul chapter of the Korean Red Cross and cruise operator E-Cruise. A total of 165 personnel, 25 vessels and three vehicles will be deployed.

The exercise will be based on a scenario in which an arsonist starts a fire inside a cruise ship cabin. Participating agencies will run through the full sequence of responses in conditions designed to mirror a real incident — apprehending the arsonist, rescuing passengers, fighting the fire, containing an oil spill and towing the stricken vessel.

Han River Police Unit officers will board the cruise ship first to secure passenger safety and detain the arsonist. The Future Han River Headquarters and the 119 Water Rescue Unit will then rescue about 50 passengers and transfer them to shore. Fireboats and other vessels will be used to extinguish the blaze. Around the cruise ship, Future Han River Headquarters vessels will carry out oil-spill containment and tow the vessel to a safe location.

Park Jin-young, head of the Seoul Metropolitan Government's Future Han River Headquarters, said ensuring the safety of large vessels heavily used by families and tourists is a top priority, as is having a rapid-response system in place when accidents occur. "We will continue to conduct realistic drills and training for a wide range of scenarios so that citizens can use the Han River with confidence," Park said.


ken@heraldcorp.com