Fishing boat sinks in Antarctic Ocean

At least 22 sailors died when their South Korean fishing boat sank in the Antarctic Ocean today.

Other boats nearby rescued 20 men from the freezing water after the 614-ton No1 Insung went down halfway between New Zealand and Antarctica.

"We were fortunate that there were a number of vessels in the area," said a spokesman for New Zealand's rescue co-ordination centre. Boats were called off the search, although three Korean vessels sailed on, with the chance of finding further survivors incredibly remote.

The boat had 42 people on board when it sunk: eight South Koreans, eight Chinese, 11 Indonesians, 11 Vietnamese, three Filipinos and one Russian. The confirmed dead included two Indonesians, two South Koreans and one Vietnamese.