Sightseeing boat with 26 on board feared sinking off Shiretoko Peninsula

The Yomiuri Shimbun

20:51 JST, April 23, 2022

The Japan Coast Guard said Saturday it had received an emergency call from a sightseeing boat sailing off the Shiretoko Peninsula in Hokkaido, reporting that the bow of the boat was flooded and sinking.

According to the 1st Regional Coast Guard Headquarters, it received the call at about 1:15 p.m. on Saturday from the boat, called Kazu I, carrying 24 passengers, including two children, plus two crew members. The headquarters said that it has dispatched rescuers to the site.

The local fishery cooperative said the waves in the area began to rise around noon on Saturday, and that visibility was deteriorating due to rough weather.