MOSCOW - A Russian fishing vessel flipped over in the Sea of Japan off its far east Primorye Territory on Sunday, leaving 20 crewmembers missing, the Emergency Situations Ministry said.

The vessel Chance-101 was discovered 50 kilometers east of the town of Svetloye in the Sea of Japan at 3:20 p.m.(1120 GMT). "It was carrying a 30-member crew, among them 19 Russian nationals and 11 Indonesians," the Interfax news agency quoted the ministry's local branch as saying.

A passing freight discovered a lifeboat carrying 10 crewmembers and saved them, the authorities said, adding 20 crewmembers, including 13 Russians and seven Indonesians, remained unaccounted for.

Four ships are searching for the missing crewmembers. Helicopters will join the rescue operation on Monday.