Eight crew members were confirmed dead and two more were reported missing after their product and chemical tanker capsized off Japan on Wednesday.
The country’s coastguard said one Indonesian seafarer was rescued safely from the 1,200-dwt Keoyoung Sun (built 1996), which overturned off Yamaguchi prefecture on the south-west coast.
But eight bodies were also recovered.
The search was continuing for the final two crew members.
The tanker was carrying 980 tonnes of acrylic acid, but no spill has been detected, Japan’s broadcaster NHK reported.
The crew had radioed for help around 07:00 local time (22:00 GMT Tuesday), reporting that the tanker had developed a list and was seeking a place of refuge.
Coastguard vessels and aircraft were sent to the site near an island off the city of Shimonoseki.
The South Korea-flagged ship had reportedly been at anchor because of stormy weather.
Japanese media reported the crew consisted of two South Koreans, eight Indonesians and one Chinese citizen. The master is South Korean.
The nationalities of the missing seafarers were not known.
Wind speeds of up to 54 km/h (33 mph) were measured in the area on Wednesday.
Faults found during Japanese inspection
The Keoyoung Sun is owned by Keo Young Shipping of South Korea and has insurance through the Korea P&I Club.
It has no port state control detentions on its record.
At its last listed inspection in Japan in November 2022, six deficiencies were found, related to cargo and watchkeeping certificates, fire doors and pollution prevention.
