[Update] 9 Bodies Recovered After Cargo Ship Sinks Off S. Korea

Update: South Korea's Coast Guard continues to search for two missing crewmen after a Panamanian-registered cargo ship carrying 19 people sank in South Korea's Pohang harbor. Eight crewmembers have been rescued. Rescuers also recovered nine bodies.

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A Panamanian-flagged cargo ship was reportedly sinking Tuesday off South Korea’s coast, leaving all of its 19 crewmembers missing.

The ship had anchored off the port city of Pohang, but high waves forced it against a seawall, the South Korean Coast Guard reported. Officials also confirmed that 18 Chinese and one Vietnamese were aboard the ship at the time of the incident, and were missing more than nine hours following.

The ship had unloaded its freight and was scheduled to leave for Japan; it was carrying about 130 tons of bunker oil and diesel fuel.

Most of the ship had sunk when authorities arrived. Rescue efforts were complicated by strong winds and severe waves.

The ship, CHENGLU15, is reported to belong to China’s Lishen International Shipping Group Corp. in the Zhejiang province.