Apparently, off the coast of southwest Japan, a cargo ship and a chemical tanker ship from Japan collided. The tanker Ryoshinmaru’s six Japanese crew members and its 14 Chinese crew members were unharmed, as were the 14 Chinese crew members of the cargo ship Xin Hai 99.
According to the coast guard, a cargo ship and a Japanese chemical tanker ship collided off the coast of southwest Japan. The 14 Chinese crew members aboard the cargo ship Xin Hai 99, its 14 Chinese crew members, and six Japanese crew members aboard the tanker Ryoshinmaru were both unharmed. Investigations into the early-morning Saturday crash were ongoing. A Kushimoto Coast Guard representative stated that both ships were anchored in the region, about 3.5 kilometres (2.2 miles) off the coast of Wakayama prefecture.
The official reported that the cargo ship, which at first appeared to be sinking, had an oil leak from the engine area, but the leak was stopped. Chemicals were not aboard the tanker at the time of the accident; it had left Kobe port to pick up supplies from another Japanese port. Divers were dispatched to the scene to find the reason for the accident, and GPS records were investigated. According to the official, the tanker’s Chinese crew alerted the coast guard that it had abruptly veered toward them.
