Busan, March 26 (Yonhap) - A Russian-flagged refrigerated cargo vessel caught fire approximately 8 kilometers south of Korea's Busan Port on Wednesday morning, leaving six crew members injured, according to local maritime authorities.

The incident occurred at around 11:30 AM local time while the ship was navigating coastal waters with 23 crew members aboard. Witnesses reported seeing thick black smoke billowing from the vessel's engine room area.

South Korea's Coast Guard immediately dispatched patrol ships and firefighting vessels upon receiving distress signals. Six injured crew members were evacuated to shore for medical treatment, while the remaining 17 were safely accounted for. Firefighters brought the blaze under control within 40 minutes of arrival.

Preliminary investigations suggest the fire may have originated from engine failure, according to statements from crew members to Coast Guard officials. "Smoke was first detected near the engine compartment before flames broke out," a rescue official told reporters at the scene.

The Coast Guard has launched a full investigation to determine the exact cause of the accident and assess damage to the vessel. Neither the ship's name nor its operating company was disclosed in the initial report.

Maritime traffic in the busy port area was temporarily rerouted but has since returned to normal operations. Environmental monitoring continues as a precaution, though officials confirmed no fuel leaks or pollution hazards have been detected.

This marks the third foreign-flagged vessel incident in Korean waters this year, following January's collision involving a Chinese freighter near Incheon and February's mechanical failure of a Panamanian tanker off Ulsan.