Sightseeing boat carrying 26, missing in Japan after reports of sinking

Japan’s coast guard ordered patrol ships and aircraft to look for a sightseeing boat that went missing with 26 passengers on board after reporting it was sinking off the northern island of Hokkaido on Saturday, according to public broadcaster NHK.

According to NHK, authorities lost communication with the crew of the Kazu 1 boat when the crew reported that water was flowing into the stern of the vessel and that it was sinking. The crew reportedly stated that everyone on board was wearing life jackets and that the boat was keeling at a 30-degree angle, according to NHK.

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According to the broadcaster, there were 24 passengers on board, including two children, as well as two crew members.

Outside of normal business hours, no one from the Japan Coast Guard was immediately available for comment.

According to NHK, the coast guard received communication from the ship around 1:15 pm (0415 GMT) and despatched five patrol boats and two aircraft in the search.

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No one answered the phone when I called the firm that offers the Kazu 1 sightseeing trips. According to its website, the ship can accommodate 65 passengers. According to the tour business, tours of the Shiretoko area typically run for three hours.

The boat departed the Utoro port at 10 a.m. on Saturday and was supposed to return by 1 pm, according to NHK. The waves had been high, and by mid-morning, all fishing boats in the region had returned to the harbour.

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According to NHK, the sightseeing boat was at the Shiretoko Peninsula, in the northern part of Japan’s northernmost island, and was believed to be near the Kashinu Falls.