SEOUL, South Korea – South Korean coast guard ships and aircraft were searching Sunday in waters off the country’s southwest coast for nine fishermen who went missing after their boat sank.
The coast guard of the southwestern port city of Mokpo said three crew members were rescued by a nearby commercial ship after the accident late Saturday in waters near Daebichi island in the Sinan maritime county.
Survivors said the boat’s engine room quickly filled with water before the 24-ton vessel capsized, according to the coast guard.
Officials planned to salvage the boat, but it was not known if the nine missing people would be inside. The Ministry of Interior and Security said seven of the missing were South Korean nationals and the other two were foreigners, but did not immediately confirm their nationalities.
More than 30 coastguard vessels and at least eight coastguard and military aircraft were searching the area on Sunday afternoon.
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol called on officials to deploy “all available resources” to expand the search and also support the families of the missing fishermen, his office said.
