Looking high and low: Members of South Korea coastguard searching for survivors in the water between South Korea and Japan. — Reuters
SEOUL: Ships searching in wind-whipped waters between South Korea and Japan have picked up at least 14 of the 22 crew members from a cargo ship that sank early Wednesday.
South Korean officials said nine of them remain unconscious, but they did not immediately confirm any deaths. They said the crew members would be airlifted to Japan for treatment.
South Korean and Japanese coast guard vessels and aircraft as well as two commercial cargo ships were continuing to search for the eight missing crew members but the efforts were being slowed by strong winds and waves, South Korean officials said.
The Japanese coastguard confirmed the rescue of at least 13 crew members and said five of them – all Chinese nationals – were still alive.
The 6,551-ton Jin Tian sank about three and a half hours after it sent a distress call at around 11.15pm on Tuesday in Japan’s exclusive economic zone, Japanese coast guard spokesperson Shinya Kitahara said.
The vessel, which was Hong Kong registered and carrying lumber, sank about 160km southwest of Nagasaki, Japan, and about 150km south of South Korea’s Jeju island.
The captain last communicated with the coastguard through a satellite phone around 2.41am, saying crew members would abandon the ship, minutes before it sank, Jeju island coastguard officials said.
Six crew members were picked up by South Korean coast guard vessels, while a cargo ship picked up five and Japanese aircraft picked up three, according to Jeju’s coast guard.
According to South Korean and Japanese officials, 14 crew members are Chinese and eight are from Myanmar.
According to maritime transport websites, the vessel left Malaysia’s Port Klang on Dec 3 and was headed for South Korea’s Incheon port.
The ship is owned by Long Bright Shipping Limited, a Hong Kong-registered company that is a subsidiary of Shenzhen Shekou Shipping Transportation Co Ltd, according to a July 2022 filing made by the parent company to China’s National Equities Exchange and Quotations. — AP
