A worker died while diving to inspect a ship at HD Hyundai Mipo Ulsan Shipyard.
According to the Ulsan Fire Department and Ulsan Coast Guard in South Korea on December 30, at 1:24 p.m. that day, an alarm call was received that a diver in his 20s had exceeded the diving time but had not surfaced.
The diver was found by an underwater robot at 3:34 p.m. and pulled from the water by fire divers at 4:03 p.m.
The diver was found in cardiac arrest and was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital.
It is reported that the diving worker, who belongs to a subcontracting company of HD Hyundai Mipo, went into the water at 11:30 a.m. to inspect the bottom of a ship under construction. The subcontracting company said the worker was alone during the operation but used safety equipment. According to regulations, diving operations require the cooperation of two people. After the diver enters the water, the person on shore needs to pull the signal rope to pay attention to dangerous situations.
HD Hyundai Mipo said, “We express our most sincere and deepest condolences to the families of the deceased, and we will actively cooperate with the investigations of the relevant organizations and do our best to resolve the accident.”
South Korean government authorities have reportedly begun an investigation into the accident and have asked the shipyard to stop work in the area of the accident.