An oil tanker ship off the coast of Japan has exploded.
The tanker was on route to make its delivery when the event unfolded. Of its eight crew, seven were rescued, three were seriously injured and one remains missing. The Japan Coast Guard is carrying out a coordinated search for the missing crew member.
The explosion happened at about 9.25am as the Shoko Maru ship was being cleaned off the coast of Hyogo.
The explosion follows the sinking of a Panama-registered cargo ship off the coast of Japan in March, and the capsizing of the Sewol ferry off South Korea that left more than 300 people dead or missing last month.
Japan has increased imports of oil and gas as its nuclear power stations have been idled following the Dai-Ichi nuclear reaction disaster in 2011.