Four years after saving Korean pilots, Sri Lankan workers gain long-term visas

Four years ago, three Sri Lankan migrant workers aboard a fishing boat off South Korea’s western coast spotted two Air Force pilots in the Yellow Sea after their fighter jet caught fire and crashed.

Working with the boat’s South Korean captain, they pulled the pilots from the water and brought them to safety.

On Friday, that act of rescue helped secure a longer future in South Korea for two of the men.

The Justice Ministry said it had granted the two Sri Lankans skilled-worker visas allowing them to remain in the country long term, citing their “exceptional contribution to the national interest” in saving lives. The third rescuer had already obtained long-term residency status.

The rescue took place on Aug. 12, 2022, off the coast of Hwaseong, about 45 kilometers south of Seoul. The Sri Lankan workers were aboard a fishing vessel when they came across the pilots, whose fighter jet had gone down after an engine fire.

At the time, all three men were in South Korea under the Employment Permit System, holding E-9 visas typically issued to foreign workers in sectors facing labor shortages. The status allows workers to stay for a maximum of four years and 10 months.

The two men granted E-7-4 skilled-worker status on Friday can initially remain in South Korea for up to two years. Their visas can then be renewed in two-year increments without a limit on the number of extensions, giving them a pathway to a far more stable life in the country than their original temporary-worker status allowed.

“We will continue to support foreigners who have made special contributions to our society so that they can live stably in the country,” Justice Minister Jung Sung-ho said.

The decision follows another official recognition of the men’s actions. In May, they received a letter of appreciation from the Air Force chief of staff for helping save the two pilots.