Yeosu: A fishing trawler sank in waters off South Korea's southern coast early Sunday, resulting in three fatalities and seven missing individuals, officials reported. The 139-ton vessel, carrying 14 crew members, was reported missing at 1:41 a.m. approximately 17 kilometers east of Habaek Island, near Yeosu, which is situated 316 kilometers south of Seoul.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Coast Guard vessels and other fishing boats managed to rescue seven crew members, including three South Koreans and four foreigners. Tragically, all three South Koreans, including the 66-year-old captain, succumbed to their conditions. The four foreign survivors, comprising two Indonesians and two Vietnamese, exhibited signs of hypothermia and were transported to a hospital in the nearby county of Goheung for treatment.

Rescue operations revealed that five individuals, including the captain, were initially found on a life raft, while the two deceased South Koreans were discovered adrift without life vests. A foreign sailor aboard the vessel indicated that the trawler capsized due to adverse wind and wave conditions, prompting authorities to initiate an investigation to determine the precise cause of the incident.

In response to the situation, the Coast Guard has deployed 23 vessels and eight aircraft, with additional support from other agencies and fishing vessels, to locate the missing crew members, consisting of five South Koreans, one Indonesian, and one Vietnamese.