A search and rescue operation is underway off South Korea's southeastern coast after a tugboat capsized and sank on Wednesday, leaving one crew member dead and six others missing.
The 286-ton vessel was carrying eight crew members when it departed on Wednesday morning. Its mission was to tow a merchant vessel in the waters near the city of Busan. However, the tugboat overturned, prompting an emergency response.
Following the capsizing, the merchant vessel managed to rescue one crew member, identified as an Indonesian national. Coast guard rescuers later located another crew member, a South Korean national, who was unconscious. He was transported to a hospital on the mainland, where he was subsequently pronounced dead.
The tugboat ultimately sank at approximately 3:30 p.m. (0630 GMT), roughly two hours after the initial report of the capsizing. The exact cause of the incident remains unknown.
In response to the ongoing emergency, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung directed authorities to mobilize all available resources to locate the six crew members who remain missing. The coast guard and the navy have deployed vessels, aircraft, and various other assets to search the area.
