The coastguard deployed six patrol ships, as well as several airplanes, to the area where the nearly 1,000-tonne tanker, Shoko-maru, went down around 10 hours after it erupted in a fireball on Thursday.
Seven of the eight Japanese crew were rescued, including one who remained unconscious with severe burns covering his entire body, but the vessel's 64-year-old captain was still missing. After the accident, the transport ministry urged tanker operators nationwide to step up safety measure, a spokesman said.
The fire was likely sparked as a crew member used a grinder to remove rust on the ship, Transport Minister Akihiro Ota told a press conference. - AFP