Eight dead after S. Korean tanker capsizes off Japan

Eight people died after a South Korean-flagged tanker capsized in rough seas off Japan yesterday, the coast guard said.

“They were confirmed dead at a hospital,” a spokesman told AFP. One other person was in a non-life-threatening condition while two others remained missing.

Previously the coast guard had said nine people were rescued from the stricken ship but gave no indication on their condition.

The chemicals tanker had 11 people on board including two South Koreans, eight Indonesians and one Chinese, the coast guard said.

The tanker was carrying 980 tonnes of acrylic acid, but there were no leaks reported, Japan’s Kyodo news agency reported, citing the coast guard.

Footage from Japanese broadcaster NHK earlier showed the overturned red hull of the ship as well as a life raft, as a coast guard ship pounded through heavy waves and a helicopter flew overhead.

The ship had been at anchor due to rough weather near the island of Mutsure, off Japan’s southwestern coast not far from Kitakyushu port.

With waves as high as 3.5 metres, the crew notified the coast guard early yesterday that the vessel was tilting and requested help, NHK said.

The Japan Coast Guard received the rescue call soon after 7am (2200 GMT Tuesday) saying that the ship was “tilting, please help us”, the spokesman said.

NHK named the vessel as the Keoyoung Sun, which specialist website VesselFinder said is a chemical and oil products tanker built in 1996, measuring 69 metres in length.

The ship’s operator declined to comment. Japan was being buffeted by strong winds yesterday with high waves and heavy snow forecast in the coming days, especially along mountainous areas.

Gusts of up to 126 kilometres per hour were expected in several areas, NHK reported, with winds intensifying mainly in western and eastern Japan due to a low-pressure system.

The Meteorological Agency warned people to be alert for gusty winds, high waves, heavy snow, and even lightning strikes and tornadoes.

South Korea’s foreign ministry said that it was providing support, had dispatched an embassy official to the site and was in “close communication with related organisations”.

Earlier this month, a South Korean fishing boat carrying nine crew, including seven Indonesians, capsized off the country’s southern coast, leaving six missing. (AFP)