The 12th day of search operations has begun for the missing individuals from the capsizing of the tugboat TNS Catcher off the coast of Busan, which occurred on the 2nd.

The Busan Coast Guard announced that it would begin the 12th day's daytime search operations this morning (the 13th), focusing on the waters near the accident site.

Thirty vessels and six aircraft have been deployed to conduct searches across a zone measuring 25 kilometers wide and 252 kilometers long.

The Donghae Regional Coast Guard, which has jurisdiction over the waters of Gangwon and Gyeongbuk provinces, is also joining the search.

During the 11th day's nighttime search that began on the afternoon of the 12th, underwater searches using private exploration vessels were conducted, but no missing persons were found.

Currently, waters off the coast of Busan are experiencing wave heights of around 1 meter with northeast winds blowing at 6 to 8 meters per second.

The TNS Catcher capsized on the 2nd while conducting towing operations in waters about 9 kilometers east of Oryukdo Island.

Of the eight crew members on board, one was rescued, while another was found unconscious and ultimately died.

In addition, one of the six missing persons was found dead on the beach near Dogu Beach in Pohang on the 9th, while the remaining five have yet to be found.

(Photo: Yonhap News)