Fishing boat capsizes off S. Korea's west coast; search underway for 3 missing

The logo of Korea Coast Guard / Courtesy of Korea Coast Guard

A fishing boat carrying seven crew members overturned in waters near the western coastal county of Taean on Thursday, prompting a search for three who went missing.

The 9.77-ton vessel capsized at around 6:20 p.m. in waters near the Cheollipo area of Taean in South Chungcheong Province, about 140 kilometers southwest of Seoul, according to the Coast Guard.

One crew member was found in a state of cardiac arrest, with three others remaining unaccounted for.

Three other crew members were found drifting near the vessel and have been rescued. They were transported to a hospital.

The Taean Coast Guard sent seven patrol and rescue boats to the area for search operations.

"We are searching for the three missing crew members," a Taean Coast Guard official said,

Prime Minister Kim Min-seok, upon being briefed on the accident, directed officials to mobilize all available resources in the search for the missing crew members, his office said.