SEOUL, Feb. 9 (Xinhua) -- Three people were confirmed dead, and six others went missing after a fishing boat with 14 crew members on board sank off southern South Korea early Sunday, according to Yonhap news agency.
It was reported that the 139-ton trawler from the country's southeastern port city of Busan disappeared from radar in waters off Yeosu, some 380 km south of the capital Seoul, at about 1:41 a.m. local time (1641 GMT Saturday).
The Coast Guard recused seven crew members together with other fishing boats belonging to the same fleet.
Of three South Koreans and four foreigners who were rescued, all the South Korean sailors, including a captain, were confirmed dead.
Among the seven who remained unaccounted for, one sailor was found unconscious later.
The Coast Guard dispatched 23 patrol boats and eight aircraft for search and rescue operations, joined by 15 civilian fishing boats. ■
