A Japanese naval minesweeper caught fire Sunday morning off the western coast of Kyushu, forcing crew evacuation and leaving one sailor missing while another was hospitalized for smoke inhalation, military officials said.
The Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force (JMSDF) reported the fire broke out in the engine room of the Ukushima at approximately 9:40 a.m. local time as the vessel sailed north of Fukuoka. Multiple explosive sounds were heard, according to Admiral Akira Saito, JMSDF chief of staff.
“We’ll do our best to extinguish the fire and search for the missing crew member,” Saito told reporters at an evening press conference, warning the vessel might sink if the fire continues burning. He noted the JMSDF has never lost a warship to fire.
The incident occurred as the minesweeper was en route to southeastern Kyushu for scheduled mine warfare drills next week. Firefighting efforts were still ongoing at 8:30 p.m., hours after the crew evacuated to another ship, while investigators work to determine the cause of the blaze.
