One of crew members missing from fishing boat capsizing found dead

National 08:22 February 06, 2023

SEOUL/SINAN, Feb. 6 (Yonhap) -- Rescuers searching a 24-ton fishing boat that capsized off the southwestern coast found one missing crew member dead inside the ship's cabin Monday, Coast Guard officials said.

Seawater started to flood the ship's engine room, causing the vessel, the Cheongbo, to overturn at 11:19 p.m. Saturday in waters 16.6 kilometers west of the uninhabited island of Daebichi that lies some 20 km from the southwestern county of Sinan.

The sinking had left nine of the 12 people, including three foreign nationals, on board the ship missing, while the other three were rescued by another boat at the scene.

Divers on an underwater search entered the sunken ship and found one of those missing crew members inside the ship's cabin at 3:22 a.m. and retrieved the body, Coast Guard officials said.

Authorities were trying to confirm the identity of the person.

Rescuers had difficulty entering the ship, where entangled fishing gear and nets blocked the path.