In the accident where a tour boat with 26 passengers and crew was distressed off the coast of the Shiretoko Peninsula in Hokkaido, all 11 people rescued so far around the site sea area were confirmed dead.
On the 25th, the third day after the accident, no one was newly rescued, and the Japan Coast Guard found it by searching by sonar, considering that the tour boat may have sunk and passengers may have been left behind. I'm in a hurry.
In addition, in this accident, the Japan Coast Guard contacted each passenger's mobile phone based on the list submitted by the ship's operating company about two hours after the first report, but none of them was possible. I found out.
The Japan Coast Guard is investigating the possibility that the ship may have sunk.
The accident that the sightseeing boat "KAZU 1" (19 tons), which left Utoro, Shari-cho with 26 passengers and crew on the 23rd, was distressed while sailing off the Shiretoko Peninsula, was in the vicinity of the site sea area by the night of the 24th. , 11 men and women, including one child, were rescued, but all were confirmed dead.
According to Shari Town, three of them were passengers on a tour boat and their identities were confirmed by their families.
The 1st Regional Coast Guard Headquarters is proceeding with confirmation by regarding the other eight as passengers or crew members.
It has been the third day since the accident, and the search has been continued by expanding the area around the site sea area to the east side of the Shiretoko Peninsula, but according to the Japan Coast Guard, new rescue information has been entered by the evening on the 25th. It means that there is no such thing.
The Japan Coast Guard decided to rush to find the hull by searching with sonar and continue searching at sea all night, considering that the tourist ship may have sunk and passengers and crew may have been left behind on the ship. I am.
Search by expanding the range from Cape Shiretoko to the eastern sea area
According to the Japan Coast Guard, the child who was rescued on the night of the 24th and was confirmed dead was found in the sea area about 15 km east of the tip of Cape Shiretoko, and was reported by a tourist boat at "Kashunino Falls" in Shari Town, Hokkaido. It is about 27 kilometers northeast of the place called ".
For this reason, the Japan Coast Guard is expanding the scope of the search, saying that passengers and crew members who have not yet been found may have been washed away from the west side to the east side of the Shiretoko Peninsula where they were reported.
The body is handed over to the family
Of the 11 people rescued and confirmed dead around the site's waters, Shari Town has revealed that three have been passengers on a tour boat and have been identified by their families so far.
Of these, one body was handed over to the family on the afternoon of the 25th.
Since the 24th, passengers' families have been visiting the sports facility in Shari Town, where the bodies are enshrined, to confirm.
According to Shari Town, the identities of three of the 11 people who died were confirmed by their families.
The three are passengers whose addresses in Fukushima, Chiba, and Kagawa are listed on the passenger list of the tour boat, respectively.
Of these, one of the addresses in Fukushima Prefecture was handed over to his family on the afternoon of the 25th.
The two addresses in Chiba and Kagawa prefectures will be handed over to their families on the 26th.
Two hours after the report, all passengers' mobile phones may be lost and sinking.
According to previous investigations by the Japan Coast Guard, the first call was made after 1:00 pm, and the ship's operator explained that it had lost contact with the tour boat an hour later. increase.
Nearly two hours later, around 3:00 pm, the Japan Coast Guard tried to call and contact all passengers with mobile phone numbers based on the list submitted by the company. It turned out that it didn't connect.
In the sea area at the site, there are areas where the radio waves of mobile phones are difficult to reach, but it is possible that the Japan Coast Guard had sunk the ship due to the fact that it remained unable to contact the passengers and crew of the tour boat. I am investigating the detailed situation.
Abashiri Maritime Security Office conducts inspection two days before the accident
The Abashiri Maritime Security Office conducted a safety inspection of "KAZU 1" on the 21st of this month, two days before the accident, and revealed that it had confirmed that there were no problems with the hull and equipment.
This was revealed by the Abashiri Coast Guard to NHK's interview, and the safety inspection was voluntarily conducted by the Japan Coast Guard before the holiday season.
Captain Noriyuki Toyoda (54) was present at the safety inspection conducted on the 21st of this month, and the Japan Coast Guard Officer confirmed that the hull was not damaged and that the life jacket was properly installed. It means that there was no such thing.
On the other hand, there was no device called "GPS plotter" on board to navigate while looking at the location information, so when I asked Captain Toyoda, he answered, "We have removed the device from the ship for maintenance." That is.
It does not violate the law even if it is not equipped with a "GPS plotter", but it is said that the Japan Coast Guard was planning to have the equipment installed and then inspect it again on the 27th of this month.
"KAZU 1" Two accidents last year
"KAZU 1" is a small sightseeing boat with a total length of about 12 meters and 19 tons, and has been operated as a sightseeing cruise ship based in the port of Utoro, Shari Town.
According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, the ship had two accidents last year.
The first time, in May last year, three passengers were injured when they hit a floating object while sailing.
In addition, last June she had a grounding accident in a shallow water shortly after leaving the harbor.
In this grounding accident, more than 20 passengers were not injured, but Captain Noriyuki Toyoda (54), whose whereabouts were lost due to this distress, was sent documents on suspicion of the danger of negligence in business.
The Hokkaido District Transport Bureau, which took this situation seriously, provided written guidance to the operating company "Shiretoko Tour Boat", and the company submitted an improvement report to the national government.
After that, Captain Toyoda was in charge of maneuvering the "KAZU 1".
According to local officials, Captain Toyota was born in Saitama Prefecture and has been appointed captain since last year after most of his employees quit.
He seems to have previously been a driver of amphibious vehicles for sightseeing, and he did not have long experience as a captain.
According to the head of the local fishermen's cooperative, on the 23rd of the day of the accident, he advised not to leave the port because the waves will be high, but he said, "If the waves are high, I will return to the port, so it's okay." is.
After this distress accident, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism is conducting a special audit of operating companies to investigate whether the operating and maintenance conditions were appropriate.
Administrative guidance from last year's accident Over 10 items to be improved
The tourist ship "KAZU 1" had two accidents last year, and the Hokkaido District Transport Bureau, which conducted a special audit on the operating company, had insufficient lookout on the ship and the record book related to the operation was inadequate. Last July, I gave administrative guidance in writing, saying that there were more than 10 items to be improved.
On the other hand, the company submitted an improvement report on compliance with safety management regulations.
According to the Hokkaido District Transport Bureau, "KAZU 1" caused a minor injury to three passengers when it came into contact with floating objects on May 15, last year, and also departed on June 11, last year, one month later. Immediately after that, I had an accident in which I climbed into shallow water.
In response to this, the Hokkaido District Transport Bureau conducted a special audit of the operating company from June 24th to 25th last year based on the Seafarers Act and the Marine Transportation Act, and in accordance with the "Safety Management Regulations" submitted in advance. I checked whether the flight was being carried out.
As a result, there were more than 10 items to be improved, such as insufficient lookout of the ship, incomplete entry in the record book related to operations, and inadequate posting of information on safety management for passengers. As a result, on July 20, last year, we provided written administrative guidance to operating companies to establish a consciousness of giving top priority to safety.
On the other hand, on July 30, last year, the company submitted an improvement report to the Hokkaido District Transport Bureau regarding compliance with safety management regulations.
Confirmed cooperation with tourist boat operators in Rausu Town
Following the accident, a tour boat operator in Rausu Town, located on the other side of the peninsula, held an urgent meeting to conduct a safety check again before the start of operation on the 29th of this month, and to operate all at once in bad weather. I confirmed that it would be canceled.
In Utoro, Shari-cho, where the distressed tourist boat departed, and Rausu-cho, which is located on the opposite side of the Shiretoko Peninsula, tourist boats that enjoy whale watching in the Nemuro Strait are operated.
The "Shiretoko Rausu Tour Boat Council", which is made up of six tourist boat operators in the town, held an urgent meeting on the 25th following the accident.
After confirming that the operation of the summer season will be carried out from the 29th of this month as scheduled, the equipment for ensuring the safety of the ship will be inspected again, and the satellite phone of the ship will be contacted in case of an unforeseen situation. We confirmed that each company would share the destination.
In addition, we shared information in case of bad weather and agreed to stop the operation all at once, and to return early if the weather deteriorates after leaving the port.
Captain Yukio Takahashi of "Tour Boat Arlan III" who attended the meeting said, "We must keep in mind that the accident is not a single thing and we may fall into the same situation. We must reconfirm the safety measures. At the same time, I would like to cooperate with other ships more than ever before. "