A tragic incident occurred off the coast of South Korea’s Jeju Island on Friday when a fishing vessel capsized, resulting in the deaths of at least two individuals and leaving a dozen others missing, according to reports from coast guard officials.

Rescue operations saw nearby fishing boats successfully retrieve 15 crew members from the water; however, two of these individuals were later confirmed deceased after reaching shore. The remaining 13 individuals recovered did not suffer life-threatening injuries, as noted by coast guard official Kim Han-na from Jeju.

The ill-fated 129-ton fishing boat was carrying a total of 27 crew members, comprised of 16 South Korean nationals and 11 foreign fishermen. The vessel had departed from Seogwipo port late Thursday night on a mission to catch mackerel. A distress signal was received by the coast guard at approximately 4:30 a.m. Friday, originating from a nearby fishing vessel that had engaged in initial rescue operations as the boat went down about 24 kilometers (15 miles) northwest of Jeju.

In response to the disaster, the South Korean coast guard, along with police, fire departments, and military personnel, dispatched at least 11 ships and nine aircraft on Friday morning to conduct a thorough search for any survivors. Additionally, the rescue efforts were bolstered by the involvement of 13 civilian vessels.

President Yoon Suk Yeol has urged officials to deploy all available resources to aid in the search and rescue of the missing crew members, as stated by his administration.