7 Fatalities Reported as South Korean Vessel Overturns near Japanese Coast

Tragedy struck as a South Korean-flagged tanker overturned off the coast of Japan, resulting in the loss of seven crew members, as confirmed by authorities.

Out of the nine crew members rescued from the distressed vessel, one survivor was found, while the condition of another remains uncertain, as stated by Ryoto Katamura, an official from the Moji Coast Guard Office. Additionally, two individuals are still unaccounted for, with search efforts underway.

The vessel, named Keoyoung Sun and carrying a crew of 11, capsized on Wednesday near Mutsure Island in Japan’s southwestern Yamaguchi prefecture. The crew makeup consisted of two South Koreans, eight Indonesians, and one Chinese national.

According to Katamura, the incident occurred around 7 a.m. local time. The tanker, loaded with 980 tons of acrylic acid, did not result in any confirmed spillage at the time of reporting.

Image source: Al Jazeera