SEOUL, KOREA – The government authorities launched a joint investigation as hydrofluoric acid leaked from a container ship which sailed from China to the Port of Busan. Results of the first investigation showed that the leakage of hydrofluoric acid caused no loss of lives or major marine pollution.

At 5:50 pm of October 14, the Changwon Coast Guard and the Busan Regional Maritime Affairs & Port Administration received a report that hydrofluoric acid leaked from a 50,000-ton container ship, belonging to the world’s No. 1 container line Maersk, which was 55 kilometers south away from Yeokji Island in Tongyoung in South Gyeongsang Province.

A local shipping agency which was one who reported to the police said “Hydrofluoric acid leaked from one of the containers loaded with hydrofluoric acid cargoes. Fortunately, however, there was no loss of lives and the volume of leakage was small.”