12 Chinese fishermen feared killed in storms

Rescue workers search for missing fishermen off the coast of Cheju Island Friday

March 23, 1998
Web posted at: 3:15 p.m. EST (2015 GMT)

SEOUL, South Korea (CNN) -- Rescue boats and helicopters were searching Monday for a dozen fishermen feared drowned after their vessels got caught up in heavy storms last week.

The rescue teams battled with winds of up to 28 meters per second as well as near-torrential rain in high seas between South Korea's mainland and Cheju Island.

South Korean television on Monday showed dramatic footage of Friday's rescue operation, when nine crew members were pulled out of the waters alive.

Three boats and 27 fishermen were involved in the tragedy. Seven fishermen died and 12 were still missing Monday.

One vessel sank completely and the other became stranded off the southern island of Cheju.

The drowned fishermen were among the 27 crew members on the Lurongwi 2082 and Lurongwi 2083, which wrecked off northern Cheju.

Another fisherman, a member of the third boat, the Zhelingwi 1789, which went down south of the island early Friday, was still missing.

Fishermen are rescued from crashed boats off South Korea
	3.3MB/22 sec./320x240 776K/22 sec./160x120 QuickTime movie

Related sites:

Note: Pages will open in a new browser window

• Korea Herald
• Korean Overseas Information Service

External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.

---

 

---

Sound off on our message boards & chat

© 1998 Cable News Network, Inc.
A Time Warner Company
All Rights Reserved.

Terms under which this service is provided to you.
Read our privacy guidelines.