South Korean police on Monday launched an investigation into allegations that 26 illegal immigrants from China suffocated in a fishing boat hold and were dumped at sea.
"We are investigating the alleged dumping overboard of the Chinese," a maritime police official in the southern port city of Yosu told AFP.
Yonhap news agency said 26 were dumped after being found dead in the hold of the South Korean fishing boat, Taechong, which was used to smuggle some 60 Chinese into the country.
Police arrested the skipper and crew of the boat and 34 Chinese illegal immigrants.
Some illegal immigrants who survived the journey told police that their companions were thrown out of the boat Sunday night before reaching South Korea -- SEOUL (AFP)
