By 3 News online staff
Most of the crew from a Korean fishing boat on fire in the Southern Ocean have been rescued.
The Jung Woo 2 issued a distress call just before 3am. Two other Korean fishing vessels rushed to the scene, and nearly half the 40 crew members were able to scramble into a lifeboat - but the rest had to remain on board as the fire burned out of control.
At least three have burn injuries and were evacuated by crane.
Three more are believed to be missing.
The crew is being medically assessed and the rescuing ships plan to transfer injured seamen to the US research vessel Nathaniel B Palmer, which is steaming north to meet them.
The 51-metre Jung Woo 2 is in the Ross Sea, more than 3700km southeast of New Zealand.
The fire on board was described by the Rescue Coordination Centre as “out of control”.
The Nathaniel B Palmer, which has hospital facilities, is about 12 hours away from the Jung Woo 2’s reported position, with two other vessels around 10 hours away.
Contact was also being made with the Italian and Australian Antarctic bases to investigate whether it is possible to use an aircraft to lift any injured from the Italian base at Terra Nova Bay to McMurdo Base.
Korean fishing vessel the Jung Woo 2
The weather in the area this morning was clear, with light winds, although a low is expected tomorrow.
3 News