Japan’s coast guard say they are searching for a tourist boat missing off the northern island of Hokkaido.
Authorities lost contact with the vessel, which had 26 people on board, after it reported that it was taking on water at 13:15 local time (04:15 GMT).
The Kazu 1 was tipping at a 30-degree angle and starting to sink, the crew reportedly said.
The boat is believed to have been on a three-hour sightseeing voyage around the Shiretoko Peninsula.
The Japanese coast guard has dispatched five patrol boats and two aircraft to find the sightseeing vessel.
Authorities have also requested assistance from Japan’s self-defence forces, local media said.
The search was still ongoing late on Saturday, many hours after the vessel was last heard from at around 15:00 local time (06:00 GMT).
The 24 passengers are said to include two children and there were also two crew members aboard the boat.
Waves in the area had been high and local fishing boats had apparently decided to return to port by mid-morning.
The crew reportedly said that all those on board were wearing life jackets.
But temperatures in the area can dip as low as zero degrees Celsius (32 degrees Fahrenheit) as night falls. (BBC)
About the Author
Currently it looks like Drupal is the preferred blogging platform out there right now. (from what I’ve read) Is that what you are using on your blog?
Hiya, I’m really glad I have found this info. Nowadays bloggers publish only about gossips and internet and this is really annoying. A good site with interesting content, this is what I need. Thanks for keeping this web site, I’ll be visiting it. Do you do newsletters? Cant find it.