GMM Safety | 2025-06-14 | Case Incidents |

A South Korean cargo vessel has rescued all 23 crew members from a sinking ship in the Indian Ocean on June 11, according to South Korea’s Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries.

The South Korean-flagged Maple Harbour, a 2011-built bulk carrier, received an emergency message at 2:45 a.m. local time from the Run Fu 3, a Panama-flagged bulk carrier that was flooding and in distress.

The Run Fu 3 had reported water entering one of its cargo holds and requested immediate assistance.

At the time, Maple Harbour was transiting through the Indian Ocean on its way to Italy. Upon receiving the SOS, the Korean crew altered course and reached the distressed vessel’s location by 5:30 a.m.

The Run Fu 3, which had departed from Singapore and was en route to Togo, started to sink about 500 nautical miles south of the Maldives.

Despite efforts by its crew to control the flooding, the situation worsened, and at 8:15 a.m., the captain ordered the crew to abandon the ship.

All 23 sailors, including 21 Vietnamese and two from Myanmar, boarded life rafts and were later rescued by Maple Harbour. The crew was found floating in the ocean and brought aboard safely.

After the rescue, the Maple Harbour provided the stranded crew members with food, drinks, and a place to rest. The Korean vessel then proceeded toward Port Louis, Mauritius, where the rescued seafarers were disembarked.

The incident involved the 172-meter-long Run Fu 3, which was built in 1997 and operated by China-based Zhangjiagang Oceanicwit Shipping. The ship had a deadweight tonnage of 32,900.

The Maple Harbour is commercially managed by C Transport Maritime (CTM), which is part of the Supramax RSA Fleet operated from Stone Shipping Ltd’s chartered-in vessels.

CTM confirmed that their vessel and crew quickly responded to the emergency as they were the closest ship available. It also stated that the Run Fu 3 crew did everything possible to save their vessel before the captain made the call to evacuate.

South Korea’s Oceans Minister, Kang Do-hyung, also appreciated the efforts of the Maple Harbour’s crew. He acknowledged the significance of international cooperation at sea and thanked the captain and crew for their dedication during the rescue.

The ministry confirmed that the Maple Harbour coordinated with the operator of the Run Fu 3 to ensure the safe transfer of the rescued crew at Mauritius.The exact cause of the flooding onboard the Run Fu 3 has not been determined. No injuries were reported.

References: YNA, koreajoongangdaily