Thirteen crew members were saved from a cargo ship that sank early on Wednesday morning off the southwest coast of Japan due to strong winter winds, but the coast guard reported that two of them had since passed away.
The remaining nine were being sought for by rescuers.
Late on Tuesday, the 6,651-ton "Jintian," which is registered in Hong Kong, made a distress call, according to the Japan Coast Guard.
The ship was reportedly listed and taking on water, according to the media, and later reports stated that the 22 crew members—all of whom were Chinese or Myanmar nationals—had boarded lifeboats.
The cause of the ship's capsize, which was transporting timber, was not immediately known. Strong winds were present, according to a spokeswoman for the Coast Guard.
According to government spokesperson Hirokazu Matsuno, the Coast Guard promptly requested help from patrol ships and planes in the area to the west of Nagasaki.
It sunk at 2.46 in the morning. He added, citing other nearby vessels, "1746 GMT on Tuesday."
According to Matsuno, who spoke to reporters, the Coast Guard "is also asking help from the Self-Defence Forces, South Korean Coast Guard, and vessels passing near the seas."
On Tuesday, winter storms that brought cold temperatures and windy weather pounded regions of western Japan.
Between Nagasaki and the South Korean island of Jeju, where several flights were delayed on Tuesday due to bad weather, lies the location where the ship sank.
On Tuesday, a ship grounded in strong winds near the southern Japanese islands of Okinawa. According to media reports, the 19 crew members were saved.
