NHK: Some 60 N. Koreans Rescued after Fishing Boat Collides with Japanese Patrol Ship
Japan's public broadcaster NHK said some 60 North Korean crew members were rescued after their fishing boat sank following a collision with a Japanese patrol ship in the East Sea early Monday.
According to Japan's Coast Guard and Fisheries Agency, the two vessels made contact on Monday around 9 a.m. in waters some 350 kilometers northwest of the Noto Peninsula in Ishikawa Prefecture.
As the fishing boat began to sink, the North Korean crew reportedly jumped into the water before Japanese patrol and maritime safety authorities arrived. The fishing boat sank at around 9:30 a.m.
NHK reported that all of the roughly 60 people on board were rescued and turned over to other North Korean ships in the area.
Japan says the accident occurred within its exclusive economic zone. According to Japan's Coast Guard and Fisheries Agency, the vessels collided as the Japanese patrol ship was attempting to get the North Korean fishing boat to leave.
[Photo : YONHAP News]