Related News
Search for Antarctic sailors off
Source: Agencies |
December 15, 2010, Wednesday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
SEVENTEEN fishermen missing for more than 30 hours after their South Korean boat sank near Antarctica were given up for dead yesterday, with officials saying no one could have survived the icy waters.
New Zealand's rescue coordination center, which was running a search by private vessels in the remote region, said it had suspended the operation indefinitely.
The No. 1 Insung went down on Monday some 2,200 kilometers south of New Zealand, about halfway to Antarctica. It sank quickly - prompting speculation it struck an iceberg - and the crew of 42 had to abandon ship without donning survival gear.
Nearby ships quickly pulled 20 survivors from the sea, along with the bodies of five dead crewmen, leaving 17, including four Chinese, unaccounted for.
Rescue coordination spokesman Dave Wilson said yesterday it was "exceedingly unlikely" that any of the 17 missing could have survived - with sea temperatures near freezing anyone who fell in would be dead in 10 minutes without special suits or life jackets.
South Korea's Foreign Ministry said on board were eight South Koreans, eight Chinese, 11 Indonesians, 11 Vietnamese, three Filipinos and a Russian.
It is the second Korean fishing vessel this year to sink in ocean waters near New Zealand. In August, six men died and 45 were rescued after their boat, Oyang 70, sank 700km east of South Island.
New Zealand's rescue coordination center, which was running a search by private vessels in the remote region, said it had suspended the operation indefinitely.
The No. 1 Insung went down on Monday some 2,200 kilometers south of New Zealand, about halfway to Antarctica. It sank quickly - prompting speculation it struck an iceberg - and the crew of 42 had to abandon ship without donning survival gear.
Nearby ships quickly pulled 20 survivors from the sea, along with the bodies of five dead crewmen, leaving 17, including four Chinese, unaccounted for.
Rescue coordination spokesman Dave Wilson said yesterday it was "exceedingly unlikely" that any of the 17 missing could have survived - with sea temperatures near freezing anyone who fell in would be dead in 10 minutes without special suits or life jackets.
South Korea's Foreign Ministry said on board were eight South Koreans, eight Chinese, 11 Indonesians, 11 Vietnamese, three Filipinos and a Russian.
It is the second Korean fishing vessel this year to sink in ocean waters near New Zealand. In August, six men died and 45 were rescued after their boat, Oyang 70, sank 700km east of South Island.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
