Crew member missing after North Korean boat sinks off South Korea's eastern coast

One crew member remained missing and three were rescued Thursday after a boat belonging to a North Korean merchant vessel sank in international waters between South Korea and Japan, local media reported.

The auxiliary vessel sank about 200 kilometers (124 miles) off South Korea’s southeastern coastal city of Pohang, Yonhap News Agency reported, citing South Korean authorities.

All four people aboard were initially reported missing. The Japan Coast Guard later rescued three, while the search continued for the fourth, authorities said.

The Korea Coast Guard has also joined the search-and-rescue operation to locate the missing North Korean crew member.

Officials said South Korea was participating in the operation in accordance with international law and humanitarian principles.

South Korea’s Navy alerted the regional coast guard headquarters to the sinking at about 10.50 am local time (0150GMT).

Authorities did not immediately provide details about the North Korean merchant vessel to which the sunken craft belonged or the circumstances that caused the auxiliary ship to go down.

The condition of the three rescued crew members was not immediately known.