The Korea Herald

피터빈트

Fishing boat capsizes off Jeju; 1 dead, 2 missing

By Yonhap

Published : March 1, 2024 - 20:13

    • Link copied

This image provided by the Coast Guard shows a fishing boat that capsized in waters off the southern island of Jeju on Friday. (Yonhap) This image provided by the Coast Guard shows a fishing boat that capsized in waters off the southern island of Jeju on Friday. (Yonhap)

SEOGWIPO -- A fishing boat with 10 crew members on board capsized off the southern island of Jeju on Friday, leaving one of them dead and two others missing, the Coast Guard said.

Five South Korean 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., Coast Guard officials said.

Eight crew members -- three South Koreans and five Vietnamese -- were rescued by a nearby fishing boat, but one of them, a South Korean, 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 South Koreans, including the captain.

Officials said six Coast Guard patrol vessels and three helicopters were conducting a search operation within a 3.6-kilometer radius of the accident site, but strong winds and high waves are hampering the operation.

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

Meanwhile, the Jeju Special Self-Governing Province Office said it has set up an emergency headquarters to spearhead the rescue operations. (Yonhap)