Baengnyeong: South Korean coast guard authorities have seized two Chinese fishing boats near the border island of Baengnyeong on suspicion of illegal fishing within South Korean territorial waters. During the operation, one Chinese sailor died after experiencing cardiac arrest, as reported by a local media outlet.

According to Anadolu Agency, the boats crossed the Northern Limit Line, the de facto maritime border between North and South Korea, penetrating approximately 3 kilometers (1.8 miles) into South Korean waters on Friday evening. The Korea Coast Guard (KCG) intercepted the vessels about 14.8 kilometers (9.1 miles) northwest of the island in the Yellow Sea.

Officials revealed that during the crackdown, a Chinese crew member in his 40s suffered cardiac arrest. Coast Guard officers attempted to revive him through CPR while transporting him to a nearby hospital, but he was pronounced dead upon arrival. Fellow crew members informed authorities that the man had consumed a significant amount of alcohol prior to collapsing, according to the news agency.

South Korean authorities have communicated with Chinese consular officials regarding the sailor's death and plan to continue investigating the remaining crew members concerning the circumstances of the alleged illegal fishing operation.