7 killed after South Korea-flagged tanker capsizes off Japan

Seven crew members who were taken to hospitals after a South Korean-flagged tanker capsized off Japan have died, according to officials.

Among the nine crew members who were rescued from the stricken vessel, one was still alive, while the other’s condition was unknown, Ryoto Katamura, an officer at Moji Coast Guard Office, told CNN, adding that two people were still missing. A search is ongoing.

The Keoyoung Sun, with 11 crew on board, capsized on Wednesday off the coast of Mutsure Island in Japan’s southwestern Yamaguchi prefecture, Katamura said.

This included two South Koreans, eight Indonesians and one Chinese national.

The chemical tanker capsized around 7 a.m. local time, according to Katamura.

He added that the tanker was carrying 980 tons of acrylic acid, and no spillage has been confirmed as yet.