SEOUL -- Three people were found dead as a suspected Chinese fishing boat capsized near South Korea's western waters, Yonhap news agency reported on Sunday.

The wooden boat was spotted at about 11:59 pm local time Saturday (1459 GMT) in waters about 6.44 km northwest of the Baengnyeong island of South Korea near the inter-Korean maritime border.

Divers from the South Korean coast guards searched the 12-meter-long fishing boat, from which three bodies were discovered.

The identity of the victims is being ascertained, according to authorities.