According to the coast guard, the chemical tanker was carrying 980 tonnes of acrylic acid, but no leaks have yet been reported.
Eight people have died after a South Korean oil tanker sank off the coast of Japan.
“They were confirmed dead at the hospital.“, a coast guard spokesperson said on Wednesday. Another person is in non-life-threatening condition, while two others are still missing.
The tanker was carrying 11 people on board, including two South Koreans, eight Indonesians and one Chinese.
The tanker was carrying 980 tonnes of acrylic acid, but no leaks were reported, Japan’s Kyodo news agency reported, citing the coast guard.
Images of the rescue
In footage from Japanese broadcaster NHK, the ship’s overturned red hull and life raft can be seen as a coast guard ship wades through heavy waves and a helicopter flies overhead.
The ship was anchored due to bad weather near the island of Mutsure, off the southwest coast of Japan, not far from the port of Kitakyushu.
With waves reaching 3.5 meters, the crew informed the coast guard early Wednesday that the ship was listing and requested help.
The Japanese Coast Guard received a rescue call, indicating that the ship “ was tipping, please help us », Reported the coast guard spokesperson.
According to the specialist site VesselFinder, this boat was a chemical tanker built in 1996, measuring 69 meters long.
Japan hit by strong winds and strong waves
Japan was shaken this Wednesday by violent winds, accompanied by heavy waves and snowfall, particularly in mountainous areas.
Gusts of up to 126 km/h 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 has warned people to be vigilant for strong winds, high waves, heavy snow and even lightning and tornadoes.
