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Shiretoko Pleasure Boat’s website showed a photo of the tourist boat “KAZU I.”
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Nine people from a missing Japanese cruise ship with 26 people on board have already been found early Sunday, BTA reported, quoting NHK television. However, it is unclear whether they are still alive. Nine people were found unconscious in the waters off the Shiretoko Peninsula in Hokkaido and taken to hospital
Three were found by a police helicopter near the Shiretoko Peninsula, television said. The fourth was later spotted by a Coast Guard plane in the same area, the statement said. Their condition is unknown and it is unclear whether they were on land or were still at sea when they were found.
Japanese authorities used planes and patrol boats to search for the passengers and crew of the Kazu 1 after the crew said the ship was in trouble and water was entering the hold, the BBC reported.
Two children were reportedly among the 24 passengers. The crew of the boat consisted of two people. The small vessel sailed around the Shiretoko Peninsula for three days.
Before the connection with the ship disappeared, the crew reported that all passengers were wearing life jackets.
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