Lost Camera Shows Rough Seas Before Shiretoko Boat Disaster
Newly recovered video from a passenger's digital camera has revealed conditions aboard the Kazu I sightseeing boat before it sank off Hokkaido's Shiretoko Peninsula in April 2022, a disaster that left 20 passengers and crew members dead and six passengers still missing more than four years later. (News On Japan)
Recovering a passenger's camera has revealed harrowing footage of the Kazu I sightseeing boat before it sank near Japan's Shiretoko Peninsula in 2022. The video, taken around 11:53 a.m. on April 23, 2022, shows rough seas, swaying air purifiers, and what appears to be a child's distress cry. The boat, operated by Shiretoko Yuransen, was carrying 24 passengers, including two children, when it set sail from Utoro Fishing Port.
The vessel was expected to return to port after a three-hour tour through the World Natural Heritage site, but deteriorating weather conditions prompted the captain to abort the return trip. However, the hatch cover on the foredeck was not securely closed, allowing seawater to flood the vessel. Despite the captain's attempts to secure help, the ship sank within minutes and all aboard perished.
Investigations revealed serious safety management failures, inadequate government supervision, and communication issues, contributing to the disaster.
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