All 11 crew members rescued after cargo ship sinks off Jeju
This photo shows crew members trying to escape a cargo ship that sank off Jeju Island on Feb. 15. Yonhap
A cargo ship carrying 11 crew members sank off the southern island of Jeju, but all the people on board were safely rescued, the Coast Guard said Friday.
The 1,959-ton cargo ship sent out a distress signal at 9:55 p.m. Thursday in waters 61 kilometers southwest of the port in Seogwipo of Jeju, according to the Coast Guard.
When Coast Guard personnel arrived at the scene at 11:52 p.m., the vessel was sinking tilted by over 25 degrees to the left. All 11 crew members, comprising two Koreans, six Myanmar nationals and three Indonesians, were rescued about 1 1/2 hours later.
The rescue operation faced difficulty due to strong wind and high waves.
The Coast Guard plans to investigate the exact cause of the incident. (Yonhap)
This photo shows a sinking 1,959-ton cargo ship in the waters off Jeju Island on Feb. 15. Yonhap