150kg Refrigerator Found Floating in Passenger Ferry Route

The Donghae Coast Guard has prevented potential maritime accidents by promptly recovering a large refrigerator that was drifting near a passenger ferry route between Donghae and Ulleungdo.
The Donghae Coast Guard's 306 Patrol Vessel reported on the 18th that while conducting patrol operations on the morning of June 17 at approximately 9:40 a.m., they discovered a household refrigerator, measuring about 1.8 meters in length and weighing approximately 150kg, floating in the sea about 22km east of Donghae Port.
At the time, the refrigerator was drifting near a route used by passenger ferries, posing a significant risk of causing vessel collisions or entanglement with ship propellers.
The crew members on the patrol vessel immediately deployed a small boat to secure the floating object and safely retrieved it using the ship's onboard crane.
The recovered refrigerator will be handed over to the Korea Marine Environment Management Corporation after the vessel returns to port, where it will undergo standard waste disposal procedures.
A Donghae Coast Guard official stated, "Large floating waste at sea is not just an environmental issue but can be a dangerous element that threatens the safety of vessels," adding, "We will do our utmost to protect the lives and property of the public by promptly removing hazardous elements discovered during maritime patrol activities."
(Photo: Provided by Korea Coast Guard, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.