Japanese cargo ship capsizes and sinks after collision

Feb 04, 2023 | News On Japan

Feb 04, 2023 (maritime-executive.com) - Two Japanese cargo ships collided while traveling through the Kurushima Strait in the Seto Inland Sea on the night of February 2 with one of the vessels capsizing and later sinking.

Three of the vessel’s crew were located, while the search was ongoing for the vessel’s captain and first officer, who were both reported missing. TV images appear to show that at least one person has died. The second vessel was damaged but able to proceed to port with no injuries to the four crew aboard.

The Japan Coast Guard Imabari station received reports of the collision at 7:30 p.m. local time on February 2 and dispatched a patrol boat and was also receiving assistance from the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force and nearby fishing vessels. Three of the crew members were rescued from the waters.

Officials are saying that the strait in addition to being a very busy sea lane is also one of the most challenging because navigation is impacted by the direction of the tidal current. Depending on the flow of the current navigation shifts from one side to the other in the strait. The strait has been the scene of several accidents including a May 2021 collision of a cargo ship and tanker that killed three people. ...continue reading

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