4 missing after 2 cargo ships collide off Japan's east coast

At least four people are reportedly missing after two cargo ships collided in the Pacific waters off the east coast of Japan in the wee hours of Sunday.

The incident occurred at around 2:10 am (local time), when two Japan-flagged cargo ships -- Sensho Maru and Sumiho Maru -- collided about 12 kilometres from country's easternmost city of Inubosaki, reported Xinhua.

The Sensho Maru, carrying about 1300 tonnes of steel, sunk at the scene of the incident. A coastguard patrol boat rescued the captain of the ship, while the rest of the crew members remain missing. All crew members on the Sumiho Maru ship are safe, the coast guard said.

At the time of the incident, the visibility in the area was low due to dense fog.

The coast guard has deployed patrol vessels and helicopters to find the missing men.