This photo released by the Yonhap News Agency shows a fishing boat on fire off waters in Gunsan city of South Korea, March 9, 2013. Nine people died and one was missing when a fishing boat caught on fire off waters in Gunsan city of South Korea, the Yonhap News Agency reported on Saturday citing relevant authorities. (Xinhua/Yonhap)

Nine people died and one people is missing when a fishing boat was on fire off waters in Gunsan city of South Korea, the Yonhap News Agency reported on Saturday citing the relevant authorities.

According to the police, the fire started at about 5:20 a.m. on the 20-ton fishing boat, 24 kilometers of Gunsan city in west South Korea. Eleven fishing boat members were forced to jump into the sea. Among the total of 20 boat members, 10 have been rescued. The police are still searching for the missing one.

The authorities have yet to identify the cause of the accident and whether the sailors were alive or dead.