Seoul: The Navy announced Monday the recovery of the body of a sailor who went missing during a patrol mission in the East Sea the previous day.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the sailor, whose identity has not been disclosed, was reported missing on Sunday morning. The naval vessel was patrolling approximately 50 kilometers off Geojin in Gangwon Province, close to the Northern Limit Line, which serves as the de facto maritime border between the two Koreas. The body was discovered by a patrol boat 52 kilometers off Geojin's east coast at 5:58 a.m., and was subsequently retrieved by authorities at 6:43 a.m. using a rigid inflatable boat.
Officials stated that the recovered body is set to be transported to a naval base in Donghae, located about 180 kilometers east of Seoul, by Monday morning on a frigate. The vessel that the deceased sailor had been aboard returned to the naval base at 8 a.m.
A joint investigation by police and military agencies is planned to determine the details of the incident and the cause of death. The recovery operation occurred after the Navy initiated an extensive search in collaboration with the Coast Guard, deploying around 10 ships and aircraft.
The sailor, who held the rank of seaman, went missing after failing to report for the morning watch. In response to the disappearance, the military communicated with North Korea through international merchant ship channels, and the unification ministry requested Pyongyang's cooperation in the search and potential repatriation of the sailor.