Seoul: A fishing trawler sank off the southern coast of South Korea early today, leaving four people dead and six missing, local officials said. The 139-ton vessel, carrying 14 crew members on board, was reported missing in waters about 17 km east of the island of Habaek.

According to Oman News Agency, Coast Guard vessels and other fishing boats have rescued four foreigners, while three South Korean crew members, including the vessel’s 66-year-old captain, were found dead. The four survivors, two Indonesians and two Vietnamese, showed signs of hypothermia and were sent for treatment at a nearby hospital in the town of Goheung.

Five of the rescued, including the captain, were found aboard a life raft, while the others were discovered drifting in the waters without life jackets. One of the foreign sailors said the vessel had capsized due to the wind and waves. Authorities are expected to conduct an investigation into the exact cause of the accident.

The Korean Coast Guard has deployed 23 vessels and eight ai
rcraft, along with support from other agencies and fishing vessels, in an attempt to find the missing crew members.