Tokyo, Dec. 24, (dpa/GNA) – A fishing vessel with six crew members on board has gone missing in western Japan, authorities said on Thursday.
The Japan Coast Guard was launching a search with aircraft and patrol ships in the sea off the south-western island of Shikoku.
The 199-ton Shinko Maru No 8 vessel, which left a port in the town of Ainan on Shikoku on Tuesday morning, was last contacted by a fisheries cooperative at 1 pm (0400 GMT) on the same day, Kyodo News reported, citing coastguard officials.
The vessel was scheduled to arrive at a port in the city of Owase on Kii Peninsula at around 3 pm on Wednesday, the report said.
The six crew members were aged in their 20s to 50s, local media reported.
GNA