ISTANBUL

A Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force minesweeper that had caught fire a day earlier sank off the country's southwestern coast on Monday.

The Ukushima minesweeper’s engine caught fire in Fukuoka province around 9:40 a.m. Sunday when it was sailing some 2.5 kilometers off Oshima Island in the province conducting a drill, according to Kyodo news.

Another MSDF minesweeper, the Toyoshima, joined in the search and rescue efforts with the Japanese coast guard to evacuate the crew of the Ukushima.

A total of 39 members of the Ukushima crew were successfully evacuated, with one sustaining light injuries, while another still missing.