2 missing after cargo ship capsizes off western Japan

Tokyo, Aug 25

Two crew members were reportedly missing after a cargo ship capsized in waters off the coast of Wakayama prefecture in western Japan following a collision with another freighter, local media reported on Friday.

A Liberia-registered cargo ship made an emergency call at around 11.40 p.m. on Thursday night, reporting that it had collided with a Japanese cargo vessel Izumi Maru in the Kii Channel off the prefecture, Kyodo News reported, citing the country's coast guard.

The Izumi Maru capsized, with three of the five crew members of the 499-ton cargo vessel rescued, while two others are missing, Xinhua news agency quoted the report as saying.

The Japan coast guard rescuers are searching for the remaining two, it added.

There are no reports of injuries to the crew of the Liberian-flagged ship.