SEVEN people have been pronounced dead after a South Korean-flagged chemical tanker capsized off the coast of Japan.
The vessel, carrying almost 1,000 tonnes of acid, was overturned during a storm at sea.
The South Korean chemical tanker capsized off the coast of Japan on Tuesday – killing at least seven
Rescue workers haul someone up from the choppy waters below
Japanese coast guard ship approaches the struggling tanker
Japanese coast guard rushed to help the crew of 11, but only nine have been found so far.
They confirmed one member of the crew is alive while the remaining sailor’s condition is unknown.
Rescue workers are still searching for two more who were onboard when disaster struck this morning.
Those onboard the Keoyoung Sun sent out a distress call as the tanker struggled off the coast of a Japanese island.
By the time the coast guard reached them, it was completely capsized.
Dramatic footage from NHK shows the boat being thrown around in choppy waters.
And a rescue helicopter hovering above the water hauls a member of the crew up to safety.
Waves in the sea were reaching as high as 3.5 metres during the storm, swallowing the boat.
Officials said the tanker was carrying 980 tons of acrylic acid.
No leak has been detected yet, but officials are looking at what they might have to do if one is.
The crew included two South Korean, one Chinese and eight Indonesian workers.
The boat was anchored off the coast of Mutsure Island, near Honshu at the time.
Honshu, Japan’s main island, is about 1,000km from Tokyo.
The crew sheltering from bad weather when the tanker started to tilt, prompting them to put a distress call in.
It is not entirely clear how the ship capsized.
Environmental protections could be put in place if any acrylic acid did leak from the tanker.
The chemical is used in plastics, resin and coatings and can irritate human skin and eyes according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
The Keoyoung Sun tanker
There are still two crew members missing
NHK footage shows the rescue helicopter in action
The tanker was anchored when it got into trouble