South Korean Boat on Rescue Mission Capsizes; 5 killed

A South Korean coast guard boat has capsized after rescuing sailors from a damaged cargo ship, leaving five of the sailors dead.

The coast guard boat tipped over Thursday after rescuing 11 Chinese and Filipino sailors from a damaged Malaysian cargo ship that eventually sank off the southern island of Jeju. The rescued sailors and the South Korean boat’s crew were transferring to a larger coast guard ship when the capsizing occurred.

Coast guard officers say all the Asian sailors were plucked from the water but three Filipinos and two Chinese were unconscious and later died in a hospital. One coast guard officer was injured.

The 11 sailors were among 13 Chinese and six Filipinos on the Malaysian cargo ship. Other coast guard vessels rescued eight of those sailors.