The accident in which a sightseeing boat was distressed off the coast of the Shiretoko Peninsula in Hokkaido continued to be searched for passengers on the 26th, the fourth day after the accident, but no powerful clue leading to the discovery of the missing person was found. Hmm.
The surrounding sea area is expected to be reopened from the 27th, and search activities are expected to be difficult.
On the 23rd of this month, a tourist ship "KAZU 1" (19 tons) carrying 26 passengers and crew was distressed while sailing off the coast of the Shiretoko Peninsula.・ The search for crew members and hulls is continuing.
According to the 1st Regional Coast Guard Headquarters, no powerful clue has been found so far on the 26th that will lead to the discovery and rescue of the missing person.
In addition, a search using a fish finder revealed that there was an object of a certain size on the seabed near the distress site, and the diver was diving to confirm that there was a possibility of a sunken sightseeing boat.
However, there are no new discoveries, and the work has been suspended due to bad weather.
The surrounding sea area is expected to be reopened from the 27th, and the search activity is expected to be even more difficult.
You can find picture books and small backpacks with sweets in the surrounding sea area.
As a result of the search so far, it was found that a small backpack containing picture books and sweets was found in the sea area around the site.
This was revealed by Nobuaki Yokouchi, Deputy General Manager of the 1st Regional Coast Guard Headquarters, at the Shari Town Hall Utoro Branch, where the local countermeasures headquarters are located, after a briefing session for families held at 1:30 pm on the 26th. ..
In addition to life jackets, things like chairs were also discovered, and all of them have already been recovered.
On the other hand, on the afternoon of the 26th, it was confirmed that orange floats and life jackets were brought to the local countermeasures headquarters.
The 1st Regional Coast Guard Headquarters plans to investigate the relationship between the recovered materials found in the series of searches in detail in the future.
The height of the waves near Utoro Port before and after the accident
According to the observation data of the Hokkaido Development Bureau of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, the height of the waves near Utoro Port on the 23rd of this month was as follows.
It was about 30 cm around 10 am when the sightseeing boat departed.
▼ 9:50 am 33 cm
▼ 10:32 am ▼ 10:10 am
31 cm
▼ 10:20 am 30 cm
However, it increased rapidly after noon and was contacted by a tourist boat by radio. At around 1:13 pm when the operating company requested rescue from the Japan Coast Guard, it had reached more than 2 meters.
▼ 1:10 pm 2 meters 4 cm
And around 1:18 pm when the Japan Coast Guard called 118 directly from the tour boat, it was close to 3 meters.
▼ 1:20 pm 2 meters 70 cm
Furthermore, it was over 3 meters around 2:00 pm when the tour boat contacted the operating company that the bow was tilted about 30 degrees.
▼ 2: 3m
7cm According to the Sapporo District Meteorological Observatory, a wave height of 3m or more was expected at sea in the Abashiri region including the accident site, so a wave warning was issued at 9:42 am on the 23rd. I was calling attention.
Ships participating in the search, etc. The wind strengthens and returns to the port
In Shari-cho, strong wind warnings were issued and the wind was getting stronger, so small sightseeing boats and fishing boats returned to the port of Utoro, Shari-cho from noon on the 26th, earlier than the 25th.
A man who participated in the search on a sightseeing boat said, "The gusts peculiar to Utoro are blowing, and the small boat is dangerous, so I gave up and came back."
A man who participated in the search on a fishing boat said, "The situation gets tougher as the days go by, so I wanted to find it if possible, but it was difficult. I want as many people as possible to find it as soon as possible. I think it's difficult. "
A guide who has diving experience in the surrounding area "A rock as big as a house on the seabed, even a strong tide"
A diving guide man who has dived in the sea around "Kashunino Falls" in Shari Town, which is thought to be the site of the distress, said, "A rock about the size of a house is rolling on the seabed, and strong tides are often flowing. I testified to the situation at the site.
Katsunori Seki, an underwater photographer who is a diving guide, has been diving in the sea of Shiretoko for more than 40 years, and has dived in the sea around "Kashunino Falls" about two years ago.
According to Mr. Seki, there are rocks about the size of a house rolling on the sandy seabed around the site, so care must be taken when navigating the ship.
In addition, strong tides often flow toward Cape Shiretoko, and it is difficult to swim normally when there are tides.
The water temperature at this time is very harsh, feeling painful rather than cold, and it is necessary to wear a thick diving suit and gloves when diving, and if you neglect to control the temperature, it will be a dangerous situation.
Mr. Seki said, "A very disappointing accident has occurred. I was hoping that passengers would have landed or were on board a ship that had been washed away."
The bodies of the two are handed over to the family
According to Shari Town, among the people who were rescued and confirmed dead in the vicinity of the site sea area due to the accident of a tourist ship, one passenger whose address in Kagawa prefecture was listed in the passenger list and the address in Chiba prefecture are listed. The body of one passenger was handed over to his family on the morning of the 26th.
Flower stand at the morgue facility Locals donate flowers
A flower stand was set up at the sports facility in Shari-cho, where the body of the person who died in this accident was enshrined, and local residents visited to donate flowers from the morning of the 26th.
A local woman who visited the flower offering with acquaintances said, "I never dreamed that this would happen from spring. I'm very sorry. I will explain to the bereaved family left behind by the company that caused the accident. I want you to do it. "
She said, "I want the country to create a system that allows even small vessels to operate properly and safely so that this never happens again."
The captain's former office boss "working attitude was serious"
The then boss of a bus company in Shimabara City, Nagasaki Prefecture, where Captain Tokuyuki Toyoda of a sightseeing boat used to work, responded to NHK's interview.
The company was outsourced by the city about six years ago and operated amphibious buses for local tourists for about eight months, during which Captain Toyoda worked as a driver. about it.
Regarding the state of work at that time, "I was always inspecting the vehicle properly, and if there was anything wrong with it, I said" Please repair it. " There were some aspects, but the work attitude was serious. "
On top of that, he said, "I don't think I left the port at my own discretion because I wasn't a messed up person looking at my work here. I want you to testify if you did. "