OSAKA - A fishing boat overturned in waters off Hyogo Prefecture, western Japan on Wednesday morning, leaving a fisherman missing, local press reported.

The accident happened at around 6:30 am local time when crew members on board a passing oil tanker found the boat overturning in waters about four kilometers south off the Awaji Island of the prefecture, according to the report.  

The report cited the Japanese Coast Guard as saying that rough wave conditions had been observed in the sea area since the morning hours, and the 11-meter boat belongs to a local fisheries cooperative of Awaji City on the island.

The Japanese Coast Guard patrol vessels are searching for the missing fisherman in nearby waters.