A fishing vessel capsized and sank off South Korea’s Jeju island early Friday, leaving at least two South Korean crew members dead and 12 others missing, as rescue teams battle strong winds and high waves in their search efforts.
Coast guard officials said 15 crew members were pulled from the water by nearby fishing vessels, but two were later pronounced dead after reaching shore. The remaining 13 survivors, including nine Indonesians, did not suffer life-threatening injuries, according to Jeju coast guard official Kim Han-na.
The 129-ton boat, carrying 27 crew members — 16 South Koreans and 11 Indonesians — departed from Jeju’s Seogwipo port late Thursday for mackerel fishing. A distress signal was received around 4:30 a.m. Friday from a nearby vessel that initiated rescue efforts approximately 22 kilometers northwest of the island.
At least 30 vessels and 13 aircraft from South Korea’s coast guard, police, fire service, and military have been deployed in the search operation, supported by 13 civilian vessels. Rescue efforts have been hampered by strong winds and two-meter waves.
Jung Moo-won, Jeju coast guard’s director of security and safety, confirmed that divers have located the sunken vessel and begun searching it. Among the 12 missing crew members, 10 are South Korean nationals. South Korean officials have contacted the Indonesian Embassy regarding the Indonesian crew members.
President Yoon Suk Yeol has ordered officials to mobilize all available resources for the search and rescue operation.
VOA
