Two dead, 12 missing after fishing boat sinks off South Korea

South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol orders all available resources and personnel to assist with search for survivors.

At least two people are dead and 12 others missing after a fishing boat capsized off the coast of South Korea, coastguard officials have said.

The 120-tonne Geumseong sank about 24 kilometres (15 miles) off the resort island of Jeju after leaving the port of Seogwipo to catch mackerel late on Thursday, the Korea Coast Guard said on Friday.

The crew on board included 16 South Koreans and 11 foreigners, two of whom are unaccounted for, officials said.

Coastguard officials said they received a distress signal at about 4:30am on Friday from a nearby fishing vessel that went to the scene to help rescue their crew.

Crew members told the coastguard that the ship suddenly capsized and began to sink while they were transferring their catch to another ship, according to officials.

South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol ordered all available resources and personnel to be mobilised to assist with the rescue, his office said.

At least 11 vessels and nine aircraft from South Korea’s coastguard, police, fire service and military, and 13 civilian vessels, have been deployed to search for survivors.

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Al Jazeera and news agencies