Seoul(AP): A fishing boat capsized and sank off the coast of South Korea's Jeju island Friday, leaving at least two people dead and 12 others unaccounted for, coast guard officials said.

Nearby fishing vessels managed to pull 15 crew members out of the water, but two of them were later pronounced dead after being brought to shore. The other 13 did not sustain life-threatening injuries, said Kim Han-na, an official at Jeju's coast guard.

She said 27 crew members – 16 South Korean nationals and 11 foreigners – were on the 129-ton boat, which left Jeju's Seogwipo port late Thursday to catch mackerel. The coast guard received a distress signal at around 4:30 a.m. Friday from a nearby fishing vessel that conducted rescue efforts as the boat sank 24 kilometers (15 miles) northwest of the island.

At least 11 vessels and nine aircraft from South Korea's coast guard, police, fire service and military were deployed as of Friday morning to search for survivors. They were being assisted by 13 civilian vessels.

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol called for officials to mobilize all available resources to find and rescue the missing crew members, his office said.

 

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London: British workers are facing some of the highest levels of job stress in Europe, with long working hours, tight deadlines, and limited autonomy, without being any more productive, according to a new report. The findings come as the UK's new Labour government prepares to introduce tougher regulations for employers.

The report, produced by the Commission for Healthier Working Lives — a body set up by the Britain's Health Foundation think tank and trade union representation — reveals that three-fifths of the UK workforce experience tight deadlines, and two-fifths had to work at high speed, as cited by Reuters on Monday. These figures are among the largest proportions in Europe. In contrast, only a third of workers have the autonomy to choose the pace of their work.

Jonny Gifford, principal research fellow at the Institute for Employment Studies and one of the report's authors, stressed that long hours, work intensity, and lack of control are problem areas that should be addressed.

The report noted that workers in certain sectors, particularly construction, transport, warehouses, retail, and hospitality, face the most demanding conditions, while professional roles like teaching and nursing also reported particular strain.

The report highlighted that the UK ranks poorly across nearly every measure of workplace demands, control, and job strain in comparison to other European nations. About half of the UK's workforce reported feeling exhausted from work, and stress levels have risen significantly over the past 25 years.