One killed as ships collide off Japan

TOKYO - Two ships, one a tanker carrying petrol, collided in dense fog off western Japan today, leaving one crew member dead and five missing, coast guard officials said.

The collision between the 697-tonne tanker Kyokuyo Maru and the 499-tonne freighter Nikko Maru took place around 4am (7am NZ time) off Cape Mikizaki, about 320 km west of Tokyo.

Neither vessel sank but the Kyokuyo Maru was carrying petrol and burst into flames, a coast guard official said, adding that it was not immediately clear whether the petrol had leaked into the surrounding water.

One crew member from the Kyokuyo Maru died and five were missing. The five crew members on the other vessel were safe.

- REUTERS