Swimmer Swept 30 Meters Away by Waves at Closed Beach Rescued

A swimmer who was swept away by high waves at Daecheon Beach in Boryeong, South Chungcheong Province, where official operations had concluded, was rescued by safety personnel whose employment contracts had already expired.

According to Boryeong City on August 26, a man in his 20s riding an inner tube was swept about 30 meters out to sea by a rogue wave at Daecheon Beach at 1:30 PM on August 24.

Even though the official operating season for Daecheon Beach ended on August 23, around 300 people were still enjoying the water at the time.

Official Cheon and four safety personnel from Boryeong City's Safety General Division, who were packing up rescue equipment after the beach closure, spotted the drifting man and immediately launched a jet ski.

Despite their employment contracts having expired with the closure of the beach, the safety personnel hesitated not a moment as they navigated through waves high enough to lift the jet ski into the air, successfully rescuing the man, the city said.

Official Cheon said in a phone call, "When rogue waves hit, people are swept far away in an instant, and inner tubes frequently flip over." He added, "The water depth at the spot where he drifted was well over 2 meters, and since he wasn't wearing a life jacket, it was a dangerous situation that could have easily led to a fatal accident."

Meanwhile, as vacationers continue to visit the beach to swim even after its closure, Boryeong City is continuing to deploy safety personnel to prevent any safety gaps.

Safety management will continue on-site with 13 personnel at Daecheon and 4 at Muchangpo until August 28, and afterward with 15 at Daecheon and 6 at Muchangpo.

(Photo provided by Boryeong City, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.