Chief searching diver promises to cooperate until the salvage of the boat

Szatmári Zsolt, 50, chief of the private diving team Harborian, said in an interview with the Dong-A Ilbo over the phone that it was nearly impossible to dive into the waters, describing an urgent moment when his team carried out a diving mission to search for the Hableany boat that sank on May 30 into the Danube River in Budapest, Hungary. He said that the team was not able to go into the waters at first. The angry waves of the waters roared so furiously that marking points for divers were swept away, making the team repeatedly set up new points, according to his interview.

Asked why he voluntarily assisted in such a dangerous search work to rescue foreigners, he answered that he has no special connection to Korea but wants to rescue them because every human is precious regardless of nationality.

According to Norbert Mezer, who sailed another cruise ship just right to captain Emöke, she ordered two sailors to rescue and rushed out to help them right after pushing an emergency button to stop the boat as soon as hear the radio news on the boat crush. Mezer said that Emöke was able to rescue two passengers as her boat was near the accident site. She had a difficulty in communication when she saved the two mid-aged women so got some help from a Korean passenger, according to him. It was reported that captain Emöke felt frustrated that she could not move her boat nearer because the passengers in the waters were at risk of being sunk under the sea so she had to give up on further rescue.


Jung-Min Dong ditto@donga.com