Yeosu : A fishing trawler sank in waters off South Korea’s southern coast early Sunday, leaving three people dead and seven missing.
The 139-ton vessel with 14 crew members on board was reported missing at 1:41 AM in waters about 17 kilometers east of the island of Habaek, near Yeosu, located 316 kilometers south of Seoul.
Coast Guard vessels and other fishing boats rescued seven crew members — three South Koreans and four foreigners. But all three South Koreans died, including the vessel’s 66-year-old captain.
One of the foreign sailors said the vessel had capsized due to the wind and waves, but authorities are expected to conduct an investigation into the exact cause of the accident.
The Coast Guard has deployed 23 vessels and eight aircraft, along with support from other agencies and fishing vessels, to try to find the missing crew members.