SEOUL, Sept. 2 (Xinhua) -- One crew member was killed and six others went missing on Wednesday after a tugboat capsized and sank off South Korea's southeastern port city of Busan, according to Yonhap news agency.
The 286-ton vessel, which was carrying eight seafarers, including six South Koreans and two Indonesians, overturned in waters off Busan at about 1:29 p.m. local time (0429 GMT).
An Indonesian crew member in his 50s was rescued some 20 minutes later by a nearby merchant ship.
Rescuers of the coast guard found an unconscious South Korean mariner in his 50s from inside the capsized vessel, but he was pronounced dead after being rushed to a hospital.
The tugboat completely sank around 3:27 p.m. in the waters about 87 meters deep.
The Busan coast guard raised its emergency rescue status, sending 13 patrol boats, aircraft and specialized diving teams, while the navy dispatched ships and aircraft to assist in the search operations.
High waves of up to 1.5 meters and strong underwater currents were reportedly hindering the search operations.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung was briefed on the accident and ordered the relevant authorities to mobilize all available resources to rescue the missing sailors. ■