Seven crew members missing after tanker capsizes off Japan

Japan's coast guard has rescued four crew members and is searching for seven more after a South Korean chemical tanker capsized in rough weather.

Staff Writers
AP
The Keoyoung Sun chemical tanker sent a distress call while taking refuge near Mutsure Island.
The Keoyoung Sun chemical tanker sent a distress call while taking refuge near Mutsure Island. Credit: AP

A South Korean tanker has capsized off an island in southwestern Japan, with the coast guard rescuing four crew members and searching for seven who are missing.

The coast guard said it received a distress call from the Keoyoung Sun chemical tanker on Wednesday, saying it was tilting while taking refuge near Japan’s Mutsure Island due to rough weather.

The island is just off the southwestern end of Japan’s Honshu main island, about 1000km from Tokyo.

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The ship later completely capsized, the coast guard said.

Footage on NHK television showed the ship completely upside down, a rough sea washing over its red underside.

The conditions of the rescued crew members were immediately not known.

NHK television reported the crew included a Chinese national, two South Koreans and eight Indonesians.

No other details, including how the ship capsized, were immediately known.

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