Asia-Pacific News
LEAD: Crew evacuaed from Korean fishing boat on fire in Antarctic
Jan 10, 2012, 21:32 GMT
Wellington - Thirty-seven crew members of a Korean fishing boat were evacuated by two other ships after it sent out a distress call Wednesday saying it was on fire in the Antarctic, the Rescue Coordination Centre New Zealand (RCCNZ) said.
Three of the crew were suffering from burns and three more are believed to be missing, the centre said in a statement.
The rescue mission was mounted after the 51-metre Jeong Woo 2 sent out a Mayday message from the Ross Sea, about 3,700 kilometres south-east of New Zealand, saying 25 crew had taken to a lifeboat and 12 left on board had only one viable lifeboat remaining for them to use.
The crewmen were taken off their blazing ship by two other Korean fishing boats, the Jeong Woo 3 and Hong Jin 707, which plan to transfer the injured men to a United States research vessel, Nathaniel B Palmer, steaming north to meet them.
The American ship has medical facilities on board and will sail to the US McMurdo Antarctic base to put them ashore.
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