A tourist boat sinks in Japan

TOKYO: The coastguard and local media reported that rescuers in Japan were searching Saturday for a sightseeing boat that had sent a distress call warning that it was sinking off the north coast.

According to AFP, rescuers have formed a “task force” to deal with the incident and search for those who have gone missing, but they haven’t provided additional information about the reported accident.

According to NHK, the crew of the “Kazu 1” reported to the coastguard that the boat’s bow had been flooded and that it was sinking off the Shiretoko Peninsula in northern Hokkaido.

NHK reported that the vessel was “tilting about 30 degrees” when the distress call was made, despite the life jackets worn by the crew and passengers.

Approximately four hours after the distress signal was sent, search helicopters arrived in the area to conduct a search.

One of the world’s rarest wildlife, the Steller’s sea lion, lives on the Shiretoko Peninsula, which was designated by the United Nations as a World Heritage Site in 2005 for its unique wildlife.

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