TOKYO, May 7 (NNN-NHK) – The Japan Coast Guard and Self-Defence Forces, continued searching for those unaccounted for, in a tour boat sinking accident two weeks ago, local media reported yesterday.
The 19-tonne tour boat, Kazu I, was carrying 26 people, including its crew, when it went missing off the Shiretoko Peninsula, in Japan’s northernmost prefecture of Hokkaido on Apr 23, after making a distress call saying it was taking on water in rough seas, leaving 14 dead and 12 missing.
The tour boat departed from a port in Shari, Hokkaido, despite a bad weather warning being issued.
Patrol boats and aircraft are currently searching for the missing in the sea, around the Shiretoko Peninsula, where the vessel sank, as well as, the area near Kunashiri Island, one of the southern Kuril Islands, disputed by Tokyo and Moscow, according to local sources.
The Russian coast guard has agreed to allow Japanese vessels into the area, in line with the International Convention on Maritime Search and Rescue, a bilateral accord on maritime accidents, inked between the two countries.
The sunken tour boat was located on Apr 29 by sonar equipment. Following searches of the vessel using underwater cameras on Tuesday, no more bodies were found since three were discovered on Apr 28.
A salvage company has been requested to investigate the accident site, at the request of the coast guard.
The Kazu I had a history of issues with the vessel colliding with a floating object in May last year, resulting in three passengers getting injured.
And in June, it ran aground in shallow waters, shortly after leaving port, the transport ministry here said.
Noriyuki Toyoda, the 54-year-old captain, was referred to prosecutors, over the second incident.
