(GoRealNewsNow.com) – BREAKING NEWS NOW: There has been a horrible tragedy at sea that has left at least eight people dead after a ship capsized.
Based on news accounts closer to the scene, we know that a tanker flying the South Korean flag turned over near Japan on Wednesday, leading to the death of eight people, the Coast Guard has announced. This news corrects earlier statements that had mistakenly said these individuals had been saved.
“They were confirmed dead at a hospital,” a spokesperson said. Meanwhile, one person is in stable condition, while two more are still missing.
The tanker, which was carrying 11 crew members—including two from South Korea, eight Indonesians, and one Chinese—flipped over while transporting 980 tonnes of acrylic acid. It’s currently unknown whether this chemical has leaked into the sea, the Coast Guard mentions.
Videos broadcasted by NHK, a Japanese TV channel, captured the ship’s red underside flipped over. The clips also show a life raft, a Coast Guard vessel navigating rough seas, and a helicopter flying above.
The Coast Guard received a distress signal early Wednesday from the crew, who reported that their ship was leaning dangerously near Mutsure Island, located off Japan’s southwestern shoreline, according to NHK’s report.
The ship “was tilting, please help us,” the crew messaged the Coast Guard shortly after 7:00 am on Wednesday, according to the spokesperson.
NHK identified the ship as the Keoyoung Sun. According to vesselfinder.com, a site tracking ships, this tanker, built in 1996, is designed for chemicals and oil products and is 69 meters (about 226 feet) long.
The company operating the ship has not made any comments.
On the same day, Japan faced severe weather, with strong winds causing big waves and heavy snow predicted for mountain regions in the days ahead. Winds could reach speeds up to 126 kilometers (about 78 miles) per hour in some places, NHK noted.
Earlier in the month, a South Korean fishing vessel with nine crew members, including seven Indonesians, overturned off South Korea’s southern coast, leaving six people missing. This incident occurred about 68 kilometers (42 miles) south of an island near Tongyeong city early on a Saturday, as reported by South Korea’s Yonhap news agency.
Following this, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol instructed officials to use all available resources, including navy and fishing boats, to maximize the rescue efforts, as stated by his office.
The fishing boat that capsized had departed from Jeju Island, South Korea’s southernmost point, on Thursday morning for a fishing trip. Yonhap has reported that patrol boats, navy ships, and planes are currently being used in the search and rescue operations.
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