4 Dead in 2.5 Years on Jeju Breakwater Tetrapods…Accidents Continue

The Jeju Coast Guard announced that a total of 17 fall accidents have occurred on breakwater tetrapods across Jeju from 2023 to July 2024, resulting in four deaths and 13 injuries. Recently, on the night of the 2nd, a fisherman in his 70s fell while walking on a tetrapod at a port in Dodo-dong, Jeju City; he was taken to a hospital but later died. In May, a man in his 50s fell and died at a breakwater in Samyang-dong, Jeju City, marking a series of fatal accidents.

Tetrapods are concrete structures with four legs installed to reduce the force of waves. Because moss and seaweed cling to the surface, they are slippery and sloped, posing a high risk of slipping. Local authorities have installed signs warning of the risk of falling on some breakwaters.

The Jeju Coast Guard stated that due to the height and structural characteristics of tetrapods, the impact upon falling is significant, and self-rescue is difficult. A Jeju Coast Guard official said, "Tetrapods are about 3 meters high and have a complex structure, so the impact is great when falling, and it is difficult to escape on one's own." Additionally, when an accident occurs, the sound of waves and the enclosed surroundings make it difficult for rescue calls to be heard.