TOKYO, May 29. /ITAR-TASS/. Two explosions occurred on Japanese tanker ship Shoko Maru in the harbor waters of Himeji, Honshu Island, in the Harima-nada Sea.

Coast guard reported that the captain of the ship went missing. Meanwhile, seven out of eight crewmembers were saved, with four of them being wounded. Police said two of the crewmembers suffered severe burns.

Three rescue ships of the Japanese coast guard have been involved in extinguishing the fire that broke out on Shoko Maru following the explosions.

An emergency staff has been created within the secretariat of Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe due to the incident.

The noise of the explosions was heard from a distance of several kilometers from the site. A black smoke plume is rising over the ship, which has noticeably lurched.

According to reports, the 998 tonnes displacement and 81-meter-long tanker has delivered a shipment of heating oil to the neighboring harbor and was empty when the explosions occurred. At this moment, rust removal and outgassing works were carried out on the ship.