7-year-old boy drowns after being swept away by river in Hokkaido

A 7-year-old boy drowned after he was swept away by a river in Nakashibetsu town, Hokkaido, on Saturday afternoon. 

According to police, a man called 119 at around 4 p.m. and said a boy had been swept away by a current in the Shibetsu River, NHK reported. 

Approximately 3 hours later, the boy, Shoko Abe, was found unconscious in the river about 700 meters downstream from where he was last seen. He was taken to hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Police said the man who called 119 had seen Abe playing alone at the edge of the river when he fell in.

The boy’s father had earlier contacted police and said his son had left the house and not returned.

© Japan Today