China

8 Confirmed Dead in Ship Sinking Between Japan and South Korea

The ship was carrying a total of 22 crew members. The other 14 were rescued

In this photo provided by the Korea Coast Guard, a South Korea coast guard vessel conducts a search operation
The Korea Coast Guard via AP

A Chinese official said Thursday that eight people have died in the sinking of a cargo ship in waters between Japan and South Korea.

Lyu Guijun, the consul general in the western Japanese city of Fukuoka, told state broadcaster CGTN that six of the eight victims were Chinese.

There were 22 crew members — 14 from China and eight from Myanmar — on the 6,551-ton Jin Tian. It sank early Wednesday about 160 kilometers (100 miles) southwest of Nagasaki, Japan.

Five of the crew have been rescued, including four Chinese, Lyu said. Another eight or nine remain missing, according to varying reports.

Maritime transport websites said the vessel left Malaysia’s Port Klang on Dec. 3 and was headed for South Korea’s Incheon port. The Hong Kong-registered ship was carrying lumber.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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