10 confirmed dead after tour boat with 26 goes missing off Hokkaido

The boat should of never been authorized to leave ,under these conditions

Its not looking good for those onboard, very tragic.

I was reading, in Japan only doctors can declare someone legally deceased, so the news reports often just say "unresponsive" or "unconscious", even though it is unfortunate we know the real case.

'Unresponsive' but still breathing while immersed in cold water is not necessarily a fatal condition because pathological processes are greatly slowed in a hypothermic body. We can hope that, even now, more are being found and we may as yet hear some 'good' news amidst what will no doubt be bad. Someone commenting in an earlier posting suggested that given the report of the boat listing, many may have been trapped in the hull. if it overturned. A very sad start to 'Golden Week'...

Isn't an automatic floating EPIRB a requirement in Japan? No time would have been wasted on searching.

The sad facts are that in 0-4 degree centigrade seas humans will not survive longer than 90 minutes at the most.

If the fishermen returned to port due to bad weather it’s pretty obvious that a charter boat should not have been out there. It would be be surprising if this leads to a case of professional negligence.

Dave..

More like 20 minutes

Quite likely but as I said after 90 minutes its not search and rescue, its search and recovery.

Curious to hear what's up with number 9

"Water temperatures in the area have been around 2 C to 4 C in recent days"

"all were believed to be wearing life jackets"

I hope they had survival suits available as well. That's mighty cold water.

The news just reported that all 10 who have been found so far were just declared dead. Very sad. I find it odd that they were only saying that 8 were unconscious.

Where are the rest of the people that were on the boat ?

15 people still missing ?

They're all dead. RIP

I find it odd that they were only saying that 8 were unconscious.

In Japan only a doctor can classify someone as dead thus media have to report in this way until official reports are released.

Absolute avoidable tragedy! Useless rescue operations and tour operator! The boat’s seaworthiness’s was in question and the crew’s determination to go out in weather which nth hokaido fisherman refused to go out in is of serious concern!

why weren’t helicopters in the air as soon as the mayday was called??!!

Sad, sounds like some severe professional negligence likely.

Water that cold is almost impossible to survive in unless people could have been plucked into life boats within a few minutes of hitting those waters!

@gogogo

In Japan only a doctor can classify someone as dead thus media have to report in this way until official reports are released.

I’m well aware of that. But the news was saying that 10 people were found and 8 were unconscious. Logic says that that means 2 people were likely conscious, but then they reported that all 10 were dead. That’s what I thought was weird.

According to NHK News, a few minutes ago:

"The tour boat operator began this season's operations yesterday, ahead of the competitor tour boat company operations..."

Terrible tragedy, if the information leaked is true and the boat should not have been in the water families would be right to demand justice.

I feel sorry for the people of this area. They will be stained with this disaster. Tourism will fail. It is a shame, it is a very beautiful place that I want to visit.

but, if you are responsible for human life, and operating a boat, you have to know the weather conditions. The choice between returning to port in dangerous conditions is more important than profit. They should be prosecuted.

they also had an accident last year.

Professional negligence.

Absolute disgrace of a boat company.

What a terrible avoidable loss of life.

I thought j gov killed tourism long ago,how did this happen? A few more months of closed borders and tragedies like this will be a thing of the past.

Criminal negligence in the pursuit of gain over safety. Oh the poor souls that trusted that boat company! That ship had a prior accident (about year ago) causing damage to its bow, necessitating repair. The safety record of tour operators should be a matter of public record. Buyer beware.

Seeing this on the news all day, knowing how difficult was to find survivors but really hoping for a miracle, the heart goes heavy for the families of all the people that died in a day that was supposed to be fun and happiness.

mlord 07:39 pm JST

Criminal negligence in the pursuit of gain over safety.

It's looking that way, unfortunately.

I live with ocean around me on three sides. Whale-watching tour boats, ferries, fishing charters, private watercraft - I've experienced them all - and this case is one of gross negligence. Stormy seas are known to sink huge ships. And this one? Pfft! Nothing but a simple little raft that should never have left port. In freezing temperatures, no less. The people onboard were as much the fools as the tour operator and the boat's so-called 'captain'. Idiocy. Just sheer idiocy, all round. Sadly, that's a human trait.

Originally this morning there was 22 passengers and the captain and a deckhand.

24 total

However now the article says 10 people have been found and 16 are still missing.

Where did the other's come from?

I can only assume the accountability numbers were incorrect this morning.

I regret to wonder what was the coastguard doing to rescue them from 1pm Saturday until Sunday morning when they found the bodies.

Also why the boat was even out with the weather warning.

I cant help but see multiple negligence and incompetence of the boat captain and i sincere apologize to say the coastguard isn't capable of rapid response or accountability.

It's a sad situation.

My sincere condolences for the grieving families and friends and to the perished.

RE Isn't an automatic floating EPIRB a requirement in Japan? No time would have been wasted on searching.

No. EPIRBs are not mandatory on Japanese vessels.

And strangely enough, VHF radios aren't either.

No. EPIRBs are not mandatory on Japanese vessels.

And strangely enough, VHF radios aren't either.

Only in the below 20tons class “Small vessels” which this boat was. To operate a small vessel as a commercial craft, the operator only needs to take a 3 hr safety course.

The boats are required to take a mandatory safety inspection, yearly, but it is on the same standard as private leisure craft.

There is no excuse for the Japanese government not requiring class A AIS radios on ALL passenger ships. And emergency locator beacons on ALL passenger ships and lifeboats. !!!!!

The captain of the ship is totally responsible for the lives of those lost. He should have taken the advice from the other captain and never left port.

The Kazu I was the first tourist boat to operate in the area this season. With wind and high surf advisories issued in the area on Saturday, a captain of another tourist boat operator said he advised the Kazu I crew not to leave port.

Terrible tragedy, if the information leaked is true and the boat should not have been in the water families would be right to demand justice.

Do these families that you claim would demand justice even bother to advise the deceased / missing member not to go on the tour since the weather wasn’t favorable? Yes, the captain and boat operators are at fault for operating the tour when the weather conditions were adverse but at the same time the people who go on these tours during harsh weather should also be responsible for their actions! People should have the intelligence to cancel these type of leisure activities for their own safety instead of just relying on others to do so!

RIP to the victims. Totally avoidable tragedy and a serious investigation of negligence of the boat company needs to take place

Sorry to hear. RIP.

The Kazu I was the first tourist boat to operate in the area this season. With wind and high surf advisories issued in the area on Saturday, a captain of another tourist boat operator said he advised the Kazu I crew not to leave port.

An avoidable tragedy, never get on a boat if there is bad weather warning..

In fact, never get on a boat, (even if the weather is good), if you don't have a life jacket on and you don't know how to swim well.

There should be some kind of an official system that regulates whether boats can leave port under the given weather condition. Currently, that decision is left to the captain and the tourist company that employs him. But the company's primary concern is always a balance sheet and so they may disregard someone's advice not to operate because of the day’s rough sea condition.