The 139-ton large trawler with 14 crew members on board disappeared from radar approximately 17 kilometers east of Yeosu, South Jeolla Province.
Coastguards dispatched patrol boats and other vessels to the scene and rescued four foreign crew members — two Indonesians and two Vietnamese. But three South Koreans including a captain in his 60s were found dead. Later in the day, two more South Korean crew members were recovered but were pronounced dead shortly afterward.
Authorities believe the remaining missing crew members — three South Koreans, one Vietnamese, and one Indonesian — may be trapped inside the capsized vessel.
One rescued foreign crew member said, "Strong gusts and waves caused the ship to capsize." But the exact cause of the accident needs to be investigated, as authorities find it unusual for a vessel over 100 tons to capsize despite strong winds.
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