Eight Chinese Sailors Missing after Ships Collide off Japan

Eight Chinese crew members are missing and one is in a critical condition after two cargo ships collided off Japan, Tuesday.

The Panamanian-flagged Beagle III vessel crashed into the South Korean-registered Pegasus Prime, causing it to sink, the CNN reports.

The incident occurred southeast of the Miura Peninsula in Kanagawa Prefecture. Of the 20 crew members of Beagle III, 12 have been rescued and eight are still missing.

The 14 crew aboard the other vessel, Pegasus Prime, are all accounted for, the CNN informs.

The Japanese coastguard had dispatched two helicopters and 19 patrol ships to search for the missing crew and rescuers were still searching nine hours after the accident, which occurred at 3:20 am, Tuesday.