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Weather in Malta

16.3°C overcast clouds

overcast clouds

Time Zones:

New York

Malta

Shanghai

" Serving the world...

...from Malta "

IMO Awarded for Exceptional Bravery at Sea

14 / 04 / 12

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Back in November 2011, Captain Seog Hae-gyun of the Republic of Korea was presented with the IMO Award for Exceptional Bravery at Sea 2011, “for his decisive, brave and courageous actions to protect his ship and crew during a vicious pirate attack in the Indian Ocean, which left him with serious and long-lasting injuries.”  The events that led to Captain Seog being bestowed this honour are both daring and honourable; though in truth no words do can do justice to his acts of bravery.

In January 2011, Captain Seog was Captain of the chemical tanker Samho Jewellery, when she came under attack from pirates in the Gulf of Aden.  The crew took cover in the designated citadel however the pirates soon breached the walls and detained the captain and all his crew members on the bridge.  Captain Seog was ordered by the pirates to steam towards Somali waters and whilst seeming to comply, in truth he was not ready to submit to the pirates commands without a fight.  As the events of the next few days unfolded, many became aware of the extent to which this captain was willing to go to protect his crew.  Whilst apparently following orders to steer the ship to Somali waters, in actual fact Captain Seog steered the ship on a zigzag course to head in another direction without alerting the pirates.  He also contaminated the fuel to cause the engines to malfunction, pretended the steering gear was failing and also slowed the ship’s speed from fourteen knots to six knots all in an attempt to allow the Republic of Korea Navy to gain ground.  As the pirates grew suspicious of Captain Seog’s navigational manoeuvring, they brutally assaulted him, resulting in serious fractures to his legs and shoulders.  The captain was subsequently ordered by the pirates to communicate these events in English, via satellite, to the shipping company.  In carrying out these orders, under threat of continuing physical harm and probably death, Captain Seog, covertly relayed the true situation onboard by inserting Korean into his communications.

The information proved vital to the Republic of Korea Navy’s dawn attack on the 21st of January, 2011, six days after the whole ordeal began.  The successful rescue operation named “Dawn of the Gulf of Aden” launched by the Republic of Korea Navy Destroyer Choi Young led to the attack team gaining full control of the bridge.  However, during this attack, Captain Seog continued to relay vital information via VHF as to the location of the pirates.  His continuing acts of defiance led to the pirates shooting out of revenge.  In all he suffered four gunshot wounds, two of which were to the abdomen.

Having received emergency treatment from the Special Assault Commando, Captain Seog was transported by inflatable craft and helicopter to the Sultan Qaboos Hospital in Oman and then transferred to a hospital in the Republic of Korea, where he underwent major surgery.  Nearly a month went by before Captain Seog regained consciousness.

In presenting the award, Mr. Mitropoulos said that “Captain Seog Hae-gyun was confronted not by the elements that nature can throw at men and ships, but an even more insidious danger; that of pirates threatening him, his crew and his ship.  In response, he acted with quick thinking, courageously, decisively and with extreme bravery to protect all those whose lives depended on him and his decisions.  His selfless reaction left him with severe injuries and nearly cost him his life.”  As a result all 21 crew members were freed, eight pirates killed and five captured.

IMO Awarded for Exceptional Bravery at Sea

14 / 04 / 12

Share Article on 

Back in November 2011, Captain Seog Hae-gyun of the Republic of Korea was presented with the IMO Award for Exceptional Bravery at Sea 2011, “for his decisive, brave and courageous actions to protect his ship and crew during a vicious pirate attack in the Indian Ocean, which left him with serious and long-lasting injuries.”  The events that led to Captain Seog being bestowed this honour are both daring and honourable; though in truth no words do can do justice to his acts of bravery.

In January 2011, Captain Seog was Captain of the chemical tanker Samho Jewellery, when she came under attack from pirates in the Gulf of Aden.  The crew took cover in the designated citadel however the pirates soon breached the walls and detained the captain and all his crew members on the bridge.  Captain Seog was ordered by the pirates to steam towards Somali waters and whilst seeming to comply, in truth he was not ready to submit to the pirates commands without a fight.  As the events of the next few days unfolded, many became aware of the extent to which this captain was willing to go to protect his crew.  Whilst apparently following orders to steer the ship to Somali waters, in actual fact Captain Seog steered the ship on a zigzag course to head in another direction without alerting the pirates.  He also contaminated the fuel to cause the engines to malfunction, pretended the steering gear was failing and also slowed the ship’s speed from fourteen knots to six knots all in an attempt to allow the Republic of Korea Navy to gain ground.  As the pirates grew suspicious of Captain Seog’s navigational manoeuvring, they brutally assaulted him, resulting in serious fractures to his legs and shoulders.  The captain was subsequently ordered by the pirates to communicate these events in English, via satellite, to the shipping company.  In carrying out these orders, under threat of continuing physical harm and probably death, Captain Seog, covertly relayed the true situation onboard by inserting Korean into his communications.

The information proved vital to the Republic of Korea Navy’s dawn attack on the 21st of January, 2011, six days after the whole ordeal began.  The successful rescue operation named “Dawn of the Gulf of Aden” launched by the Republic of Korea Navy Destroyer Choi Young led to the attack team gaining full control of the bridge.  However, during this attack, Captain Seog continued to relay vital information via VHF as to the location of the pirates.  His continuing acts of defiance led to the pirates shooting out of revenge.  In all he suffered four gunshot wounds, two of which were to the abdomen.

Having received emergency treatment from the Special Assault Commando, Captain Seog was transported by inflatable craft and helicopter to the Sultan Qaboos Hospital in Oman and then transferred to a hospital in the Republic of Korea, where he underwent major surgery.  Nearly a month went by before Captain Seog regained consciousness.

In presenting the award, Mr. Mitropoulos said that “Captain Seog Hae-gyun was confronted not by the elements that nature can throw at men and ships, but an even more insidious danger; that of pirates threatening him, his crew and his ship.  In response, he acted with quick thinking, courageously, decisively and with extreme bravery to protect all those whose lives depended on him and his decisions.  His selfless reaction left him with severe injuries and nearly cost him his life.”  As a result all 21 crew members were freed, eight pirates killed and five captured.