Sri Lankan workers who rescued Korean pilot win permanent residency
When an F-4E Phantom fighter jet plummeted into the waters off Hwaseong in August 2022, the two Air Force pilots aboard managed to eject just moments before impact. Floating in the choppy sea with fuel and thick smoke drifting across the waves, their immediate survival depended on whoever might reach them first. Help came not from a military vessel, but from a small local fishing boat crewed by…
In August 2022, a fighter jet crashed into the sea off Hwaseong, South Korea. The two pilots aboard managed to parachute safely to the surface, floating in choppy waters surrounded by fuel and smoke. Their lives hung by a thread as they awaited rescue. However, they were saved not by a naval vessel, but by a humble fishing boat crewed by two Sri Lankan migrant workers.
Four years later, the Ministry of Justice officially granted them permanent residency visas, Skilled Worker (E-7-4), recognizing their extraordinary contribution to public safety and national interest. This rare opportunity to obtain long-term residency in Korea is a testament to their exceptional actions on that fateful day.
Written by urgent.news from The Korea Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
Also reported by 1 other outlet
- Sri Lankan workers who rescued Korean pilot win residency koreatimes.co.kr
