On Tuesday, an incident involving a refrigerant leak occurred in South Korean Busan aboard a Russian fishing vessel.
- 👤 Two people fell into a clinical death condition after inhaling the fumes.
- In total, four crew members were affected.
- Eleven people managed to leave the dangerous area.
- The victims were on a vessel with a displacement of 769 tons, which was anchored in the port of Gamcheon-dong.
The event occurred during maintenance of the refrigeration equipment. At that moment, the system lost its seal, and the refrigerant began entering enclosed spaces. Rescue services evacuated people and provided first aid on site.
Of the two victims in a clinical death condition, one was taken to the hospital. The others suffered varying degrees of poisoning, but their lives are not in danger. Doctors note that the danger was compounded by the properties of the refrigerant:
- ⚠️ all fluorine-containing compounds are heavier than air;
- they can accumulate in the lower compartments of the vessel.
Police and fire services continue to investigate the causes of the accident. Agency representatives refer to the substance as “freon,” although the exact type of refrigerant has yet to be determined. Checks are underway to assess how correctly safety measures were followed when working with the onboard refrigeration equipment.