A boat with a captain and 14 anglers on board caught fire on Sunday afternoon in Kagoshima Prefecture, southwestern Japan, forcing them to evacuate by jumping into the sea, the coast guard said.
All of them, including a 12-year-old boy, were later rescued by a ship sailing nearby. Nine anglers who were burned or had other injuries were taken to hospitals, with rescue workers saying they are all conscious.
The captain reported to the coast guard after the fire broke out on the 14-ton Grand Line Eishin Maru at around 2:35 p.m. off Makurazaki.
The boat was returning to the port of the city from an island in the area after passengers finished fishing, the coast guard said. It burned and sank.
The nine people taken to hospitals include the boy. The eight other men are in their 30s to 60s, the rescue workers said.
