Four Russian sailors dead, seven missing in shipwreck off South Korea

Four Russian sailors dead, seven missing in shipwreck off South Korea

2011-02-09 23:56:05 GMT+7 (ICT)

ULSAN, SOUTH KOREA (BNO NEWS) -- Four Russian sailors on Wednesday died and seven more went missing after a cargo vessel sank off the coast of South Korea, the Yonhap news agency reported.

According to the Ulsan Coast Guard, a Cambodian-flagged cargo vessel carrying 12 Russian sailors sank after colliding with another ship. The other vessel has not been identified.

The shipwreck took place off the coast of Ulsan, a city located approximately 414 kilometers southeast of Seoul. The Cambodian vessel named Alexandra was on its way to China.

Ulsan Coast Guard noticed two lifeboats around 12:16 p.m. local time. The ship sank at about 19 miles (30 kilometers) off Ulsan. Four bodies were recovered and a 33-year-old sailor was rescued alive.

The remaining seven crew members are missing. Preliminary reports indicate that the 1,500-ton vessel collided with a larger ship and about one-third of its stern fell into the sea.

Most of the crew members were at the rear of the vessel upon impact. The Coast Guard sent seven patrol boats and a helicopter to look for the missing sailors. The cargo vessel was not carrying any chemicals or hazardous material.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2011-02-09