A unit of the South Korean Coast Guard reported that upon arriving at the scene of a collision off the west coast near Gunsan earlier on 26 May, they discovered a fishing boat embedded in the bow of a cargo ship. No injuries were reported; however, both vessels sustained damage.

According to the Coast Guard, the fishing boat had departed overnight from a port near Boryeong with six crew members aboard. The incident occurred approximately seven nautical miles southeast of one of the offshore islands in the region when the fishing vessel collided with a 44,000-ton cargo ship at around 0500 on May 26.

None of the 19 crew members on the unnamed cargo ship or the crew of the fishing vessel were injured. However, the two vessels became wedged together. The Coast Guard successfully disengaged the fishing vessel from the cargo ship and escorted both vessels into port for inspection and further investigation.

The fishing boat was reportedly en route to conduct crab fishing operations. According to the Korean news agency Yonhap, the Coast Guard stated that the vessel's autopilot system had not been properly activated, contributing to the accident.

This marks the fourth incident in the past six months where autopilot malfunctions have been linked to accidents in the waters near Gunsan. Given the high concentration of cargo ships anchored offshore for extended periods, the Coast Guard has issued a warning urging local boats to exercise greater caution while navigating these waters.