The captain of a South Korean-flagged bulk carrier went missing early this month while sailing in the Indian Ocean, Coast Guard officials said Friday.

A local shipping company reported to the Coast Guard in the southern port city of Busan at 12:24 a.m. on Jan. 4 the disappearance of the chief of its 400,000-ton vessel that was traveling from Brazil to China.

A sailor went to the captain's room to call him for dinner but he was not seen anywhere on the ship, the company told the authorities.

No one saw him just before the disappearance and there is no sign of foul play, the Coast Guard said.

After learning of his disappearance, the shipper had the bulk carrier return to the area and search for him for three days. The ship failed to find him and is now sailing to China, the Coast Guard said.

The Coast Guard is questioning crewmembers though the company and plans to secure the missing man's mobile phone and belongings. (Yonhap)