Seoul (VNA) – Six Vietnamese crewmen aboard a Korean-flagged fishing vessel which was found to be capsized in Japanese waters remain unaccounted for.

According to Pohang city’s coast guard force, the 29-tonne Dongkyeong 201 lost communication with the city’s fisheries information control centre at 9:30pm on February 29 (local time) after departing from Chuksan port, Yoengdeok district in Kyeongbuk province at 2pm a day earlier. A Korean captain, 47, and six Vietnamese crewmen were on board.

Later on February 29 night, the force deployed six boats and one search-and-rescue plane to an area 28km to the east of Wonpo port in Pohang city, where the last signal from the vessel was caught.

On March 3, seven vessels of Pohang city’s coast guard force, three ocean survey vessels and three aircraft were also deployed.

At 12:20pm, the fishing vessel was found to be capsized in Japanese waters, 96km to the east from Homigot port of Pohang city.

At 6pm, a body was found and is believed to be the Korean captain.

The search and rescue for the Vietnamese crewmen will continue on March 4.

In response to reporters’ queries about the accident during a regular press briefing in Hanoi on March 3, Foreign Ministry spokesman Le Hai Binh said the Vietnamese embassy in the Republic of Korea is working with Seoul authorities to receive the latest information about the whereabouts of the missing Vietnamese crewmen.-VNA