Jung Min-ho has worked as a staff writer at The Korea Times since 2012, mostly covering social and political issues. He currently belongs to the Politics & City Desk where he covers topics such as health, labor and human rights. Prior to joining the team, he was responsible for covering North Korea and sports. His article about a biosecurity breach of Middle East respiratory syndrome won him an award from the Korea Science Journalists Association in 2016. He is also the co-author of the book, "Medical Pioneers of Korea" (2019). He served as the head of the international relations committee at the Journalists Association of Korea from 2021 to 2023.
Korean captain killed, 2 Indonesian sailors missing as fishing boat capsizes off southwestern coast
Maritime police search for two missing sailors after a fishing boat incident in waters off Korea’s southwestern coast, Thursday. Courtesy of Mokpo Coast Guard
By Jung Min-ho
A fishing boat carrying nine people capsized in waters off Korea’s southwestern coast early Thursday, leaving its Korean captain dead and two Indonesian sailors missing.
According to the Coast Guard, the 33-ton eel fishing trawler was overturned at around 3:18 a.m. in waters some 18km northeast of Gageo Island off Mokpo, a port city in South Jeolla Province.
Six of the crew members were rescued by fishing boats working nearby. But the captain had already died by then.
The Coast Guard is now searching for the missing sailors in collaboration with the Navy and fishermen. Several ships, airplanes as well as fishing boats have joined the rescue effort.
Based on survivors’ accounts, the Coast Guard suspects that a collision with another fishing boat was the cause of the accident.
The crew of the other boat allegedly involved in the collision have been questioned as the Coast Guard looks into the case.