Six missing as fishing vessel catches fire near South Korea’s Buan

A search operation is in progress for six missing crew members after a fishing boat carrying 11 people caught fire off the southwestern coast of South Korea on February 13.

According to the Coast Guard, five crew members were successfully rescued, Caliber.Az reports, citing Korean media.

The 34-ton vessel caught fire at 8:39 a.m. in waters near Buan, approximately 204 kilometres southwest of Seoul, according to officials.

The Coast Guard deployed 10 ships to the scene, working alongside nearby fishing boats to rescue the survivors.

However, efforts to locate the missing six crew members have been hampered by strong winds and rough waves, with a wind wave advisory in effect.

Firefighters were also dispatched to combat the blaze, but details on casualties remain unconfirmed, according to Coast Guard officials.

The search and rescue operation continues as authorities work against challenging conditions to locate the missing individuals.

By Tamilla Hasanova