Japanese authorities have lost contact with a Panamanian-registered cargo ship after it issued a distress signal off western Japan. A coast guard patrol ship is heading to the area in the Sea of Japan.
Coast guard officials say the ship was about 380 kilometers northwest of Okinoshima Island when it issued the distress signal on Wednesday afternoon.
Eighteen Vietnamese crew members were reportedly on board.
South Korean authorities informed the Japan Coast Guard late Wednesday that a Russian ship navigating in the area found a lifeboat apparently carrying 17 crew members from the cargo ship.
The cargo ship is likely to have sunk.
The Russian ship will stay near the lifeboat until a Japanese or South Korean patrol boat arrives at the spot.
