Eight crewmen are confirmed dead after a South Korean chemical tanker capsized off the coast of western Japan Wednesday.
A helicopter conducts a search and rescue operation after Keoyoung Sun, a South Korean chemical tanker capsized off the western Japan city of Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi Prefecture in western Japan, March 20, 2024, in this photo taken by Kyodo.
Public broadcaster NHK says the Japanese coast guard received a distress call from the Keoyoung Sun, which was tilting due to heavy waves while it was anchored off Mutsure Island.
The capsized ship was upside down by the time the coast guard vessels arrived. Eleven people were on board.
Rescue teams found one person alive, while the search continues for two missing crewmen. The crew included two South Koreans, eight Indonesians and a Chinese national, according to the Japanese coast guard.
Officials said the tanker was carrying 980 tons of acrylic acid, which is used in paints, floor polishers, personal care products and detergents. There has been no evidence so far that the acid is leaking into the water.
Some information for this report came from The Associated Press, Reuters, Agence France-Presse.