The boat carrying four crew members sank on Thursday while being towed by a North Korean cargo ship off the northwest coast of Japan, and one person is missing, according to Japanese Coast Guard officials.
Incident Details
The North Korean rescue coordination center informed the Japanese Coast Guard command in Kyoto early Thursday that the four crew members had fallen into the sea about 104 kilometers (64 miles) southwest of one of the Oki Islands named Nishinoshima.
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This area is where the incident occurred and is within Japan's exclusive economic zone. The Japanese Coast Guard stated that it is investigating the nationality of the crew and the connection of the sunken boat with the North Korean cargo ship named "Kum Ya."
Search and Rescue Operations
The Japanese Coast Guard is also investigating the boat's activities in the area. Following the incident, the Japanese Coast Guard dispatched patrol ships and aircraft for search and rescue operations, and three crew members were rescued. Two of them were conscious, but one other was reported missing.
This incident comes amid rising tensions in the region, particularly regarding North Korea's maritime and military activities. Japanese officials are seeking more information about the crew's status and how the incident occurred.
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Source: abcnews.com
