A family vacation on Jeju Island ended in heartbreak when a father in his 40s lost his life after saving his three children from drowning near the breakwater at Sehwa Port in Gujwa-eup, Jeju City.
On July 25, emergency services received a report at 2:37 p.m. that a man had fallen into the sea near the Sehwa Port breakwater.
According to the Jeju Coast Guard and the Jeju Fire Safety Headquarters, the man had been collecting seaweed with his three children in the area when the tide rose unexpectedly. The children became stranded in the water.
Without hesitation, the father, referred to as Mr. A, jumped into the sea and managed to rescue each of his children. After ensuring their safety, he was swept away by strong waves.
Around five minutes later, a surfer nearby helped pull him from the water. However, Mr. A was already in cardiac arrest. Emergency responders performed CPR and transported him by air ambulance to a hospital in Jeju City, but he was pronounced dead despite medical efforts.
In a separate incident on the same day, a man in his 30s went missing near Gwakji Beach. He was located about an hour and 20 minutes later but was also confirmed dead.
These incidents have cast a shadow over the summer holiday season and serve as a solemn reminder of the unpredictable dangers posed by the ocean.
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