(Xinhua)
Updated: 2007-11-14 18:59

One of two missing DPRK (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) sailors was confirmed dead Wednesday after his body was found by a local fisherman in the sea near Weihai City in East China's Shandong Province.

The badly decayed body was found Tuesday in the sea near Xiaoshidao Island, according to local maritime police.

The body was identified as one of the missing DPRK sailors after a DPRK ID was found, along with a small amount of money, in the deceased sailor's pocket, the police said.

The name on the ID was Kim Yong Il, which was the name of one of the missing sailors. The owner of the DPRK ship confirmed the identity, the police said. The sailor's body was cremated in Weihai.

The accident occurred on October 28 when a DPRK registered cargo ship with a crew of 23 capsized four nautical miles from shore between Yantai and Weihai, in Shandong, in strong winds.

Twenty-one members of the crew were rescued, although one died en route to the hospital.

China has downgraded the search for the final missing sailor, although local residents and ships in the area were asked notify the authorities of any information.