Japan on Monday began an investigation into what caused the disappearance of a tourist boat off the country’s north coast, as search efforts intensified to locate the ship and its passengers. The confirmed death toll has risen to 11 while 15 remain unreported.
The ship, known as the “Kazu I,” left port for a sightseeing tour on Saturday when it ran into trouble off the Shiretoko Peninsula on the island of Hokkaido. The boat carried 24 passengers, including two children and two crew members. A child is among the dead.
Searches resumed on Monday using planes and patrol boats, with local fishing boats also being mobilized from Utoro port, according to media reports. Researchers also hiked along steep cliffs along the coast.
2 of 2 Aerial view of a section of the Shiretoko Peninsula, Japan — Photo: AP
Aerial view of a section of the Shiretoko Peninsula, Japan — Photo: AP
Hiroaki Okuma, an investigator with the Japan Transport Safety Board, told reporters they were gathering information ranging from inclement weather to ship conditions to determine the cause and interview the ship’s operating team.
According to media reports, there were high waves in the area on Saturday and fishing boats that left early in the morning quickly returned to port due to the conditions.
The Kazu I was the first tour boat to operate in the area this season, Kyodo News Agency said. It added that the same ship collided with a floating object in May 2021, injuring three people and ran aground in shallow water shortly after leaving port in June.