It will be one year in 20 days since a sightseeing boat sank off the Shiretoko Peninsula in Hokkaido, killing 6 people and missing 23 people. A memorial service is scheduled in the local town of Utoro, Shari, to pray for the victims and for tourism operators to renew their pledges to safety.
On April 4 last year, the sightseeing boat KAZU 23 sank off the coast of the Shiretoko Peninsula carrying 26 passengers and crew, killing 1 people, and the whereabouts of the six passengers are still unknown.
Regarding the accident, the actual situation of the operator's lax safety management and the inadequacy of the national inspection system have been revealed, and efforts are being made to prevent a recurrence.
As for the cause of the sinking, in December last year, the National Transport Safety Board of Japan released a progress report stating that seawater flowed in through a hatch with a defective fastener, and the 20st Regional Coast Guard Headquarters is continuing its investigation on suspicion of manslaughter in the course of business, including voluntary inquiries from Seiichi Katsurada, president of the operating company.
On the 6rd, one year after the accident, a memorial service is scheduled for Utoro, the local town of Shari, and the families of more than 12 passengers are expected to attend.
The ceremony will mourn the victims and pray for the discovery of six people who have not yet been found, as well as renewing their safety pledges for tourism operators.