12 Dec 2011

Coastguard official dies in incident in South Korean waters

10:30 pm on 12 December 2011

The South Korean coastguard says one of its officers has been stabbed to death, and another injured, during a raid on a Chinese fishing vessel in South Korean waters.

Officials allege the captain of the Chinese boat stabbed the men with a piece of glass, the BBC reports, after they stopped his boat on suspicion of illegal fishing.

The incident occurred in the Yellow Sea off Incheon.

About nine Chinese sailors have been detained over the clash. Beijing has not yet commented on the incident.

The BBC reports Chinese crews are regularly caught fishing in Korean waters. They are usually released after paying a fine.

The coast guard said it has seized about 430 Chinese ships for illegal fishing in the Yellow Sea so far this year, up from 370 last year.