BUSAN, Sept. 15 (Yonhap) -- Two Russian crew members were left in cardiac arrest and two others injured Tuesday after Freon gas leaked aboard a Russian fishing boat docked at a port in South Korea's southeastern city of Busan, local authorities said.
Police and firefighting authorities said they received a report of the incident at 8:37 a.m. aboard the 769-ton fishing boat carrying 15 crew members. A total of 40 police and firefighting personnel were deployed to the scene to inspect the vessel and surrounding areas for additional damage and casualties.
Freon gas, widely used as a refrigerant in air conditioners and refrigerators, has a low level of toxicity, but inhaling the gas in confined spaces can lead to asphyxiation.
Authorities said they are investigating the exact cause of the accident.
In this photo provided by the Busan Metropolitan City Fire Disaster Headquarters, firefighters conduct rescue operations on a Russian fishing boat docked at a port in the southeastern city of Busan on Sept. 15, 2026, after Freon gas leaked aboard the ship earlier in the day, leaving four Russian crew members injured, with two of them in cardiac arrest. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
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