Coast Guard rescues horse from mudflat before tide rises

The Pyeongtaek Coast Guard was able to free the animal, which bolted after its owner fell during a ride, before the water level threatened to drown it.

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Members of the Coast Guard pull out a horse that got stuck inside a mudflat in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi, on Aug. 11.

A horse that got mired in a mudflat in Gyeonggi was rescued Tuesday by the coast guard before the rising tide could reach it.

The Pyeongtaek Coast Guard said it received a report from the horse's owner at around 10:25 a.m. that the animal was trapped in a mudflat near Gohon Port in Hwaseong, "unable to move." 

Officers dug out the mud around the horse to give it room to move, then pulled it out using a rope tied around its body. The horse was free by around 11:04 a.m., about 40 minutes after the report was received.

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The horse had gotten stuck during a morning walk at around 9:30 a.m., when its owner rode to a nearby island accessible only at low tide. On the way back, the rider fell, startling the horse, which bolted toward the mudflat.

At the time, the low tide had passed, and the water was beginning to rise again, raising the risk that the horse could drown.

A horse that bolted during a ride with its owner in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi, is mired in a mudflat near Gohon Port on Aug. 11.

"We're relieved that neither the horse nor any of the people involved were hurt," a Coast Guard official said. "When engaging in activities on mudflats or coastal areas, please check tide schedules and your route in advance and stay mindful of safety."

BY HYEON YE-SEUL [lee.jian@joongang.co.kr]

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.

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