Four people died and three went missing after a South Korean fishing boat collided with a Hong Kong-registered cargo ship Saturday night near waters off the island of Jeju, Chinese Consulate-General in Gwangju said Sunday.

There were at least 9 sailors on the 29-ton South Korean fishing boat "Samdaegyung" when it collided with the 3,836-ton Hong Kong-registered cargo ship "Joshu Maru" at about 10:03 p.m. Saturday local time (0103 GMT) on waters about 130 km southeast of South Korea's Seogwipo city, Jeju Province, the Consulate-General said.

The fishing boat sunk after the collision. Two sailors of the fishing boat, both of them South Koreans, have been rescued by the cargo ship crew.

South Korean maritime authorities launched rescue operation immediately after receiving report. Four bodies were found as of 9: 50 a.m. Sunday (0050 GMT), and three others remain missing.

There are two Indonesians among the dead and missing.

The cause of the accident is yet to be determined.