Three men are missing and several others are injured after a fire broke out on a South Korean fishing vessel in the Southern Ocean near Antarctica.

The Rescue Coordination Center of New Zealand said Wednesday that of the Jung Woo 2's 40-member crew, 37 were rescued and three of the rescued crew members have suffered injuries. The center said six South Koreans were on board the ship and are all accounted for among the rescued.

The injured crew members are expected to be transferred to the U.S. research vessel Nathaniel B. Palmer, which is equipped with medical equipment.

The 51-meter boat sent out a distress call around 3 a.m. Wednesday after a fire broke out on the ship in the Ross Sea some 37-hundred kilometers southeast of New Zealand. Five vessels nearby the Jung Woo 2 reportedly rushed to the scene to aid in the rescue.

The Korea Coast Guard is maintaining contact with the rescue center to confirm any developments.