Cargo ship submerged off Korea's southwestern coast; no crewmen found

The main building of the Mokpo Coast Guard is shown in this undated file photo. Courtesy of the Mokpo Coast Guard

A cargo ship believed to be Chinese submerged in waters off Korea's southwestern coast Wednesday, the Coast Guard said.

The Mokpo Coast Guard said it received a report at around 7:28 a.m. that the 200-ton ship was sinking in waters off Gageo Island, 422 km southwest of Seoul. However, it later said the ship submerged at a 45-degree starboard angle.

The Coast Guard is investigating whether there were any attempts at illegal entry into Korea, citing no crewmen were found on the ship.

"We are searching the area because there is a possibility that people may have sneaked out of the ship," a Coast Guard official said on condition of anonymity, citing policy. (Yonhap)