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Four dead, six missing after fishing boat capsizes off Korea's southern coast

Published: 09 Feb. 2025, 15:39 Updated: 09 Feb. 2025, 18:20

LEE SOO-JUNG
[email protected]

A life raft carrying sailors is seen in waters near Habaek Island, South Jeolla, on Feb. 9. [KOREA COAST GUARD]

Four sailors died and six are missing after a Korean fishing boat reportedly capsized and sank off the coast of Habaek Island in Yeosu, South Jeolla, early Sunday.

According to the Korea Coast Guard’s Yeosu Station, a 139-ton fishing trawler with 14 sailors, vanished from radar in waters about 17 kilometers (10 miles) south of Habaek Island at around 1:41 a.m.

The Coast Guard dispatched a patrol ship to the accident site and rescued eight sailors — four Koreans, two Indonesians and two Vietnamese nationals.

However, among those rescued, four Koreans died, including the vessel's 66-year-old captain. The other four foreign sailors were sent to a hospital, showing symptoms of hypothermia after being found on a life raft.

The Coast Guard said that a total of eight Koreans, three Vietnamese and three Indonesians were on board the vessel.

The rescued sailors reportedly stated that the “vessel capsized due to high waves and strong winds while sailing.” The Coast Guard said that a more detailed investigation is necessary to conclude the precise cause of the accident.

The vessel's remaining six sailors have not been found as of 2 p.m on Sunday.

The Coast Guard said that there is a possibility that the missing sailors could be still be on board the sunken vessel based on the rescued sailors’ statements.

At around 5:30 p.m., the Coast Guard said it confirmed that at least one sailor is inside the vessel. It also claims to have found an object that is presumed to be the vessel in question.

The Coast Guard mobilized 23 patrol vessels, its eight airplanes, seven vessels from affiliated authorities and 15 privately owned vessels for the search and rescue mission. Rescue authorities are also using sonar scans to locate the boat in question.

The Korea Coast Guard conducts a search and rescue mission near a site where the fishing vessel reportedly capsized and sank off the coast of Habaek Island in South Jeolla on Feb. 9. [KOREA COAST GUARD]

Acting President Choi Sang-mok ordered the Ministry of the Interior and Safety and the Coast Guard to mobilize all available resources and personnel to rescue sailors. Choi also asked the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, the Ministry of National Defense and the South Jeolla provincial government to actively provide personnel support and rescue equipment.

The Interior Ministry is cooperating with the South Jeolla provincial government and the Busan city government — as seven Korean sailors have their residential addresses in Busan. In addition, the South Jeolla government formed a regional Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters to support the search and rescue mission.

According to the Interior Ministry, fishing vessels make up six in every 10 maritime accidents. A total of 9,602 fishing vessel accidents occurred between 2019 and 2023, accounting for 64.9 percent of all maritime accidents, at 14,802. During this period, fishing vessel accidents led to 305 deaths, 123 people missing and 1,593 injured.

Update, Feb. 9: Added rescue updates as of 5:30 p.m. Sunday

BY LEE SOO-JUNG, CHOI CHOONG-IL [[email protected]]