The US Navy said a number of missing sailors were found dead in damaged areas of a destroyer that collided with a container ship off Japan's coast, with Japanese public broadcaster NHK saying all seven crew had died.
"The sailors were located by divers, deceased. Taken to USNH Yokosuka for ID," the Commander of US Naval Forces in Japan said on Twitter.
In a separate statement that did not confirm the deaths, the US 7th Fleet said a "number" of crew had been found.
"As search and rescue crews gained access to the spaces that were damaged during the collision this morning, the missing Sailors were located in the flooded berthing compartments," it added.
"They are currently being transferred to Naval Hospital Yokosuka where they will be identified."
It comes after a major search operation carried out by US and Japanese aircraft and surface vessels.
The search began after the USS Fitzgerald, an Aegis guided missile destroyer, collided with a much larger Philippine-flagged merchant vessel south-west of Yokosuka.
Three aboard the destroyer were treated at the US Naval Hospital, including ship Commander Bryce Benson.
It was not clear what caused the collision, which the US Navy said occurred at about 2:30am local time on Saturday.
"Thoughts and prayers with the sailors of USS Fitzgerald and their families. Thank you to our Japanese allies for their assistance," US President Donald Trump said in a Twitter post on Saturday.
