A tanker carrying chemicals capsized off the coast of Japan. According to the coast guard, eight people died in the accident. Two people are still being sought and there is currently no danger to the environment.
A South Korean tanker carrying chemicals capsized off the coast of Japan. According to the Japanese Coast Guard, eight sailors died in the accident. One person was saved alive.
Rough seas caused the ship to capsize
The Coast Guard said the tanker Keoyoung Sun issued a distress call due to poor weather conditions. It got into trouble near the island of Mutsure, about 1,000 kilometers from the Japanese capital Tokyo. When the rescuers arrived, he had already capsized.
Footage from television broadcaster NHK showed the ship finally lying in the water with its keel up. According to the report, there were one Chinese national, two South Koreans and eight Indonesians on board.
Authorities are considering steps to protect the environment
According to authorities, the tanker was carrying 980 tons of acrylic acid. No leaks were discovered. Acrylic acid is used in plastics, resins and coatings and can irritate the skin, eyes and mucous membranes, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The Japanese authorities examined whether steps to protect the environment were necessary.