2 missing after Korean chemical tanker capsizes off western Japan

A Korean tanker is seen capsized off Mutsure Island, Yamaguchi prefecture, southwestern Japan, March 20. The coast guard said it received a distress call from the Keoyoung Sun chemical tanker, saying that it was tilting and was taking refuge near the Island. AP-Yonhap

A Korean chemical tanker capsized off Japan's west coast Wednesday, leaving two crew members missing, Japan's coast guard officials said.

The Keoyoung Sun vessel, carrying 11 crew members, made the distress call to the Japanese Coast Guard at around 7 a.m., reporting that it was tilting in waters near an island of the Shimonoseki city in the Yamaguchi Prefecture.

Of the 11 crew members on board — two Koreans, eight Indonesians and one Chinese — nine have been rescued and two others were unaccounted for.

No details on the nationalities of the rescued and missing were immediately known.

The nine rescued were transported on a chopper to a hospital.

The ship was apparently anchoring due to high waves and strong winds.

The coast guard said its aircraft and patrol ships were conducting rescue operations. (Yonhap)