South Korean coast guard rescues 8 people on capsized fishing boat, Yonhap says

SEOUL (Reuters) – Eight people who were on board a fishing boat that capsized in waters off South Korea’s west coast have been rescued, the Yonhap news agency reported on Monday, citing the coast guard.

President Yoon Suk Yeol was briefed about the incident on Monday morning and ordered the oceans and fisheries minister and the head of the coast guard to deploy all available personnel and equipment to conduct a rescue, his office said.

The 35-ton fishing boat had capsized near Gunsan city in North Jeolla province at around 7:36 a.m., Yonhap reported earlier, prompting a helicopter and a patrol vessel to be launched.

(Reporting by Hyunsu Yim; Editing by Ed Davies)