Headline Jeju reports a 21-year-old Seogwipo man serving in the Korean navy has fallen into a coma after severely injuring his head while assisting with the Sewol disaster rescue effort.

Yoon D.H. received the injury while replacing an elevator lamp aboard the 4,500-ton Daejoyeong on Wednesday, April 16 at 4:10 p.m. Yoon was flown by helicopter to Jeju Halla Hospital for treatment.

The navy announced his injuries on April 17 and said he was not directly involved in the rescue mission.

A Yoon family member has complained that there has been no one to adequately explain how the accident happened.

Headline Jeju reports that the accident has intensified the tragedy for Jeju, where the doomed Sewol was headed.

28 people have died and 268 are still missing after the Sewol sank in waters southwest of Jindo island, South Jeolla Province on the morning of Wednesday, April 16.