Cargo Ship Sinks off Japan, One Dead, 21 Missing
Japan’s Coast Guard reports they have rescued four survivors and have recovered one body from a Chinese cargo ship that went missing early on Wednesday in Okinawa Prefecture.
The Panama-flagged vessel, NASCO DIAMOND went missing, about 210 miles south of Iromote Island in the Pacific.
The ship was carrying 25 Chinese sailors and 55,000 tons of nickel and had left Indonesia for China on November 4.
Three of the four survivors rescued are in stable condition with one in critical condition.
The cause of the sinking is unknown as the ship was sailing in an area with moderate seas and moderate weather conditions.
Japanese coast guard reports recovering a life raft near where the ship is believed to have sunk, but no one was inside. Helicopters are on scene looking for the missing crewmembers. Coast guard has spotted an oil slick but has been unable to locate the sunken 56,893-ton vessel.
The cargo ship is owned by YDM Shipping Co and managed by NASCO, both based in China.