Fire Aboard Crystal Asia Injures Six Near South Korea

On March 25, a fire broke out on the Crystal Asia, a Russian-flagged refrigerated cargo ship, while it was sailing approximately 8 kilometers off the coast of Busan, near the Port of Gamcheon in South Korea. 

The blaze was successfully extinguished, but six crewmembers sustained injuries, with two reported to be in serious condition. 

At the time of the incident, the vessel had 23 crew members onboard, 22 of whom were Russian nationals. Emergency services airlifted the two critically injured individuals to a hospital in Busan, while the remaining crew members were safely evacuated by rescue boats deployed by South Korean authorities. 

Local media reports suggest that the ship’s engine may have been the source of the fire. The South Korean Coast Guard has launched a formal investigation to determine the cause and assess the extent of the damage. 

Built in 1993, Crystal Asia is a refrigerated cargo ship measuring 135.5 meters in length and 20.2 meters in beam, with a gross tonnage of 7,534.