Two men rescued after being stranded on rocks during nighttime shellfish gathering in Taean

Two men in their 20s who became stranded on coastal rocks while gathering shellfish at night off Taean-gun in South Chungcheong Province have been rescued by the coast guard.

The Taean Coast Guard Station said it rescued the two men at around 4:30 a.m. Sunday after they became trapped on rocks near Anmokdo in Nam-myeon, Taean-gun.

The men had called for help at around 3:56 a.m., saying rising water had cut them off while they were gathering shellfish in the dark.

The Taean Coast Guard dispatched a coastal rescue boat and a rescue team to the scene and pulled the men to safety using a motorized rescue board about 30 minutes after receiving the call.

Investigators said the two had been unaware of the tide schedule when they went out. Neither man sustained injuries.

The Taean Coast Guard has issued a "Caution" advisory under its coastal safety alert system, warning that the risk of shoreline accidents will rise during the spring tide period running from Wednesday through Sept. 16, when the gap between high and low tides is at its greatest.

"The number of anglers and nighttime shellfish gatherers visiting the sea has been increasing recently following the lifting of fishing bans," a coast guard official said. "On the West Sea coast, where tidal ranges are especially large, people must check tide schedules and wear life jackets without fail."