31 Chinese fishermen missing in S. Korea due to typhoon

Two Chinese fishing boats with 34 crew members aboard capsized Tuesday in waters about 1.8 kilometers from South Korea's port of Hwasun in Jeju's Seogwipo, an official from the Chinese Consulate stationed on Jeju has confirmed.

Three crew members have been rescued and 31 others went missing, the official said.

The two fishing boats, "Yuejiangchengyu" No. 91104 and No. 91105, both from Weihai city of East China's Shandong province, capsized around 2:40 a.m. local time due to gale-force winds and high waves caused by Typhoon Bolaven, the official said.

According to report of Yonhap, South Korea's official news agency, two crew members reported the accident to South Korean authorities after coming ashore. They were taken to a hospital for treatment as one of them sustained serious injuries and the other complained of difficulty breathing.

A third crew member was rescued later.

Currently, the Chinese Consulate is maintaining close contact with local police in regards of search and rescue effort.