Japanese navy vessel capsizes off southwest coast, 1 crew member missing

This photo shows the Sugashima-class minesweepers MSC-686 Ukushima Courtesy of DDmurasame — This photo shows the Sugashima-class minesweepers MSC-686 Ukushima. Courtesy of DDmurasame

SEOUL, November 11 (AJP) - A Japanese naval minesweeper capsized off the country's southwestern coast early Monday after battling an engine room fire, leaving one crew member missing, officials said.

The Maritime Self-Defense Force vessel, Ukushima, with about 40 crew members, first reported the blaze at 9:50 a.m. Sunday, about 2.5 kilometers from Oshima Island in Fukuoka Prefecture.

The missing sailor, identified as Petty Officer 3rd Class Tatsunori Koga, 33, was assigned to the engine room.

The fire was initially contained by another MSDF vessel, Toyoshima, at 2 p.m. but later rekindled and caused it to capsize shortly after midnight.

One crew member was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries, while about 40 others were safely evacuated to the Toyoshima.

The Ukushima was conducting routine drills en route to Kagoshima Prefecture from its base in Shimonoseki, MSDF officials said.

AJP

Japanese navy vessel capsizes off southwest coast, 1 crew member missing

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