SEOUL — USS John McCain sailors were honored Thursday for actions that led to the rescue of 11 South Korean fishermen from a burning boat, according to a Republic of Korea Fleet Command release.

Cmdr. John S. Banigan, the ship’s commanding officer, received a plaque on behalf of his crew during a ceremony at the Republic of Korea Fleet Command’s grand hall in Busan.

The award was presented by the South Korean commander of navy operations, Vice Adm. Ahn Kee-seok.

Banigan also received a plaque and some steamed red ginseng from Yeom Ki-young, director of the Korea National Federation of Fisheries Cooperatives.

“The seamen of the ROK and U.S. are the heroes of 200,000 Korean fishermen,” Yeom was quoted as saying in the release.

Sailors from the Yokosuka, Japan-based McCain, which was in South Korean waters participating in a training exercise, rescued the fishermen from a life raft about 28 miles off the coast of Jeju Island after their boat caught fire for unknown reasons.