# Busan tugboat capsizing and search operation

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/busan-tugboat-capsizing-and-search-operation
> Updated: 2026-09-09T21:50:27.000Z. Sources: 12. Developments: 3.

The search for missing crew members following the capsizing of the 286-ton tugboat TNS Catcher off the coast of Busan has seen a development in the recovery of victims. On July 9, the body of a 56-year-old South Korean second engineer was discovered on Dogu Beach in Pohang, approximately 100km from the accident site near Oryukdo.

The Coast Guard identified the deceased using precision fingerprint analysis and digital forensics from a mobile phone and smartwatch. 

The accident occurred on July 2 while the vessel was towing a 66,332-ton container ship. Of the eight crew members on board, one South Korean sailor died at the scene, one Indonesian crew member was rescued, and five crew members remain missing. 

Investigators suggest some crew members may have fallen into the sea without life jackets during the sudden capsize, while others may be trapped inside the vessel at a depth of 87 meters. Due to worsening weather and the distance from the original site, the Coast Guard has expanded the search area to include waters under the jurisdiction of the East Sea Coast Guard in Gangwon and Gyeongbuk provinces.

## Claims

- The deceased was identified as a 56-year-old Korean 2nd engineer from the TNS Catcher. (corroborated by 3 sources)
- The body was found at Dogu Beach in Pohang, over 100km away from the original accident site. (corroborated by 3 sources)
- The TNS Catcher capsized on July 2 while towing a large container ship near Oryukdo, Busan. (corroborated by 3 sources)
- Five crew members remain missing following the accident. (corroborated by 3 sources)
- The TNS Catcher is a 286-ton tugboat that sank to a depth of approximately 87 meters. (corroborated by 3 sources)
- Search operations have been expanded to include the East Sea Coast Guard jurisdiction in Gangwon and Gyeongbuk. (corroborated by 3 sources)

## Timeline

### 2026-09-09: TNS Catcher missing crew member found dead in Pohang

A missing crew member from the TNS Catcher tugboat accident was found dead on a Pohang beach, 100km from the Busan capsizing site. Five crew members remain missing as search efforts expand.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/tns-catcher-missing-crew-member-found-dead-in-pohang

### 2026-09-07: Busan tugboat capsizing search enters seventh day

Search efforts continue for six missing crew members after the TNS Catcher tugboat capsized off Busan. Difficult weather and deep waters are complicating recovery operations.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/busan-tugboat-capsizing-search-enters-seventh-day

### 2026-09-02: Busan tugboat capsizes, leaving six crew members missing

Six crew members remain missing after a 286-ton tugboat capsized and sank while towing a container ship off Busan, South Korea. One person has died, and rescue operations are ongoing.

11 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/tugboat-capsizes-off-busan-leaving-six-crew-members-missing

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Cite as: Busan tugboat capsizing and search operation. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/busan-tugboat-capsizing-and-search-operation