Officer Lee Tae Young from South Korea received the IMO Award for Exceptional Bravery at Sea for his heroic actions during the sinking of the Geum Seong No. 135 in November 2024. He saved 12 crew members from the vessel, which capsized rapidly, and was honored at a ceremony in London on November 24, 2025. IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez praised Lee for his leadership and courage, emphasizing the importance of seafarer safety.
In recounting the incident, Lee described how he instinctively acted to rescue his colleagues, drawing on his experience as a scuba diving instructor. Despite lacking formal search and rescue training, he threw life rings and assisted crew members in perilous conditions. Out of 27 crew members, he was the last to leave the sinking vessel, motivated by a sense of familial duty towards his colleagues.
During the event, Certificates of Commendation were awarded to various maritime heroes, including the crew of the tug supply vessel Aigaion Pelagos and the Royal Canadian Airforce’s Rescue 901 helicopter team. The ceremony also acknowledged the bravery of crews involved in migrant rescues at sea and highlighted the plight of seafarers held hostage amid geopolitical tensions.
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