The Honduran military says a fishing vessel sank during badweather in the Caribbean off the country’s northern coast, and least 27fishermen are known dead. Nine people remain missing and 55 others have beenrescued.

Military spokesman José Domingo Meza says the accidentoccurred early Wednesday about 40 nautical miles offshore.

Meza says the vessel Capt. Waly set out in weather notappropriate for fishing. The Caribbean commercial fishermen’s association inHonduras says nearby boats were summoned to the scene to pick up the survivors.Authoritiessay another fishing vessel with 49 men aboard also sank or capsized in the samearea, but all aboard were rescued.

According to photos, the Capt. Waly put to sea loaded withsmall skiffs for the fishermen work from.