As the efforts to locate the survivors of the Japanese boat continue, rescuers declared the death of another child, increasing the death toll to 11 so far, following the boat accident.
The ship was carrying 24 passengers, including 2 crew members and 2 children. To remind, on Saturday, the vessel had sent out a distress signal as it begun taking on water off the northern Hokkaido Island in Japan.
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Rescuers are currently using patrol boats and aircraft, including three planes, seven ships, and four helicopters to look for the remaining passengers. 10 people were declared dead as of Sunday evening. The coast guard mentioned retrieving a child and declaring it dead on Monday, in the morning.
At the beginning, rescuers found 4 individuals near Shiretoko Peninsula. 5 more individuals were found in the area after a few hours. One of the rescued individuals was taken to the hospital in a helicopter before being taken into an ambulance.
What is more, on Sunday the prime minister, informed reporters that he has ordered his officials to do all that they can for this rescue. The country’s transport ministry has launched a probe into the boat’s operator over its existing safety standards and decision to go ahead with the tour even in the rough weather.
According to the country’s transport minister, an investigation will be executed in order to assess what caused the situation. Some experts are pointing to safety negligence, thinking that the boat may have run aground and suffered damaged in the rough water.
The ministry is also going to look into the relation between Saturday’s incidents to the previous two accidents that had involved the same boat. According to the coast guard, the same boat had met with an accident in May and June last year.