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Search for Missing Crew Members Off Jeju Island Continues as Challenges Persist


Jeju: Search efforts by the South Korean Coast Guard have continued overnight, but no trace of the two missing crew members has been found, officials reported Sunday. This follows the grounding of two fishing boats in waters off the southern island of Jeju.



According to Yonhap News Agency, the Jeju Coast Guard Station has mobilized seven vessels and about a dozen personnel since 6 p.m. Saturday in a bid to locate the missing individuals. The incident, which occurred Saturday morning, involved a 32-ton fishing boat with seven crew members and a 29-ton vessel carrying eight crew members. Both boats became stranded on a rock, resulting in the deaths of two people, with two Indonesian crew members still missing.



Authorities have faced significant challenges in the search due to adverse weather conditions, including high waves of approximately 3 meters and strong winds. Despite these difficulties, the Coast Guard has deployed a substantial number of resources, including 14 vessels, seven aircraft, and over 580 personnel, to bolster the search efforts on Sunday.



Investigations into the cause of the incident are underway, with rescued crew members being questioned. Preliminary findings suggest that the fishing boat with seven crew members experienced engine failure en route to a port in Jeju. A request for assistance was made to the second vessel, which attempted to rescue the stranded ship but ultimately failed, resulting in both ships becoming stuck.

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