1 dead, 2 missing after fishing boat capsizes off Jeju

A fishing boat is seen capsized in waters off the southern island of Jeju on March 1, 2024. [YONHAP]

A fishing boat carrying around 10 crew members from Korea and Vietnam capsized off the southern island of Jeju on Friday, leaving one of them dead and two others missing, the Coast Guard said.

Five Koreans and five Vietnamese were aboard the 33-ton vessel when it overturned in waters about 12 nautical miles off the city of Seogwipo at 7:24 a.m., according to Coast Guard officials.

Eight crew members — three Koreans and all five Vietnamese — were rescued by a nearby fishing boat, but one of the Koreans was pronounced dead at 10:07 a.m. after being transferred to a hospital under cardiac arrest. The seven others were being treated for hypothermia.

The Coast Guard is searching for the two missing Koreans.

Officials said three Coast Guard patrol vessels, two helicopters, and a total of nine civilian and government vessels were conducting a search operation within a 3.6-kilometer (2.2-mile) radius of the accident site, but strong winds and high waves are hampering their efforts.

One Coast Guard official also sustained a serious injury and was taken to a hospital after being swept up by waves while searching the capsized boat, officials said.

BY PARK EUN-JEE, YONHAP [park.eunjee@joongang.co.kr]