SEOUL, South Korea – A tragic incident occurred early Monday when a fishing vessel overturned following a collision with a sand barge off the southeastern coast of South Korea, resulting in the deaths of seven crew members, while one person remains unaccounted for, as reported by local coast guard and fire services.

The fishing boat, weighing 29 tons and carrying eight individuals — three South Koreans and five Indonesian nationals — capsized after it struck a 456-ton barge near the coastal city of Gyeongju, according to Kim Eul-dong, an official from the Pohang coast guard.

In response to the accident, a substantial rescue operation was initiated, deploying dozens of emergency responders, along with 15 coast guard ships and six helicopters to locate the missing crew member, who is of Indonesian nationality. Fortunately, no injuries were reported among the barge’s occupants during this unfortunate event.