Tokyo  -  At least three people were reported killed and rescue crews were searching for 13 crew members missing after a Hong Kong freighter and a Chinese fishing boat collided off southern Japan, the Japan Times reported Sunday.

The boats collided Friday night in the East China Sea, about 350 kilometres west of the southern island of Kyushu, according to the reports.

The reports said the fishing boat sank quickly after the collision and two of its crew were rescued. (dpa)