No sign of 52 misssing from sunken S. Korea fishing boat

Rescuers found no trace overnight of 52 people missing after a South Korean fishing vessel sank off Russia's far east coast, the operating company said Tuesday.

The 1,753-tonne Oryong 501, operated by South Korea's Sajo Industries, went down in the western Bering Sea on Monday.

The trawler was carrying 60 people, including one Russian inspector, 11 South Koreans, 35 Indonesians and 13 Philippine crew members.

One Korean sailor was confirmed dead while the Russian and six foreign crew members were rescued.

"Overnight rescue efforts produced no tangible results and 52 people are still missing," a Sajo Industries spokesman told AFP.

Four ships, including two associated with Sajo, have been combing the site, the spokesman said, but the search was being hampered by poor weather conditions and rough seas.

"We still don't really know how many may have managed to take to the life boats," he said.

The 36-year old trawler was fishing for pollack when it sank in stormy weather.