1 crew member missing from capsized fishing boat off Jeju found dead


One of the two crew members missing from the fishing boat that capsized off the southern island of Jeju the previous day was found dead, the Coast Guard said Saturday.

The body of the crew member was discovered at around 12:30 p.m. in waters about 22 kilometers away from the accident site by a fishing boat that was helping with the rescue work, the Jeju Coast Guard officials said.

Officials later identified the body as one of the two fishermen, in his 50s, who went missing after the boat overturned in waters off the Seogwipo city early Friday.

Eight of the 10 crew members, made up of five South Koreans and five Vietnamese, were rescued by a fishing boat nearby, but one of them, a South Korean, was pronounced dead about an hour later.

The seven others were sent to hospital for treatment, with two crew members left unaccounted for.

The Coast Guard has been conducting search operations for the two missing South Koreans, including the captain.

Strong winds and high waves have hindered the operation. One Co
ast Guard official sustained a serious injury and was taken to a hospital after being swept away by waves while searching the boat.

Source: Yonhap News Agency