South Korean Waters Tragedy: Cargo Ship Goes Down, Three Crew Missing Amid Ongoing Search

Busan, South Korea— A coastal cargo ship sank in heavy seas off South Korea's southeastern coast Saturday morning, leaving three crew members missing and presumed dead.

The vessel, a 2,800-ton general cargo carrier, issued a distress call at around 4:10 a.m. local time. It was 18 nautical miles southwest of Busan, heading to Ulsan with a load of steel coils. The call reported rapid listing. Contact was lost within 12 minutes.

The Korea Coast Guard dispatched two patrol ships and a helicopter. They found debris, oil slicks, and an empty life raft. Eight other crew members were pulled from the water alive. They were clinging to floating containers. Three remain unaccounted for.

Conditions made the search brutal. Waves were over three meters. Wind gusts hit 40 knots. Visibility dropped. The Coast Guard said the weather system moving through the Korea Strait had been flagged the night before, but the ship chose to sail.

"We received the signal that the ship was taking water on the starboard side," a Coast Guard official in Busan said. "The crew tried to stabilize, but the vessel went under fast." The survivors told investigators the cargo shifted as the ship rolled.

The ship's owner, based in Tongyeong, said the vessel had passed a safety check in September. The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries said it will review the inspection report and the decision to depart in deteriorating weather. Questions about lashing of the steel load are central.

Families of the missing gathered at the Busan Coast Guard station. Officials told them the search perimeter has been widened to 50 nautical miles. Night operations will continue with thermal imaging. The water temperature in the area is 17 degrees Celsius. Survival time is limited.

Fishing vessels in the area have been asked to watch for bodies or debris. The incident is the second cargo sinking in these waters in three months.

The search remains active, but officials privately say hope is fading. Recovery is now the focus.