PTI

Tokyo, Oct 7: A sailor was killed and nine others went missing after a freighter with 25 Indian crew members on board caught fire and ran aground in stormy weather, off the coast of Kamisu in eastern Japan.

The Panamanian-registered cargo ship with 25 Indians and a Pakistani on board caught fire last evening and its engines failed. The 98,600-ton Giant Step was caught in strong winds and heavy rain and broke into two, Japan Coast Guard officials said.

At least 13 people were washed overboard, out of which four- all Indians- were rescued. However, one of them died at the hospital while two others were being treated for injuries.

Thirteen more crew members trapped inside the vessel, which was stranded about two kilometers off Kashima port, 95 kilometers east of Tokyo, were rescued this morning and airlifted to safety.

Eastern Japan was hit by stormy weather on Friday due to tropical storms Babinca and Rumbia in the Pacific Ocean.

The Japan Coast Guard was searching for the missing nine crew members, officials were quoted as saying.

The Coast Guard did not identify any of the crew members.

The freighter, which was heading to Kashima port from Australia, was carrying 190,000 tons of iron ore.