3 missing in African merchant ship sinking in Yellow Sea

 A merchant ship from the western African country of Togo sank off South Korea's west coast Monday, leaving at least three people missing, officials said.

   South Korea's Coast Guard said it received a distress call from the 1,321-ton cargo vessel at 4:23 p.m. in international waters 54 nautical miles off the island of Socheong.

   Seven people have been rescued, including one Myanmarese, and there were no Koreans aboard, the coast guard said. Chinese navy sailors have been searching the area for the missing, it added. 

South Korea`s maritime police conducted a patrol mission on the West Sea last week. Yonhap

   The identities of the other six crewmen who have been saved were not immediately available.

   Korean patrol ships have been dispatched to the area of the sinking to help search for missing people, according to the coast guard.