According to the Japan Coast Guard, at least ten persons have died when a tourist boat went missing off the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido. They said the hunt for 16 people who were on board the Kazu 1 sailboat is ongoing in the icy waters.

        After the boat reported taking on water at 13:15 local time (04:15 GMT) on Saturday, contact was lost. The Kazu 1 is thought to have been on a three-hour sightseeing cruise around the Shiretoko Peninsula at the time of its disappearance.

        The region is a UNESCO world heritage site, and boat tours are popular among visitors wanting to see whales, sea lions, and brown bears on the rocky shores. According to Japanese media, the crew managed to indicate that the ship was tilting at a 30-degree angle and sinking.

        Patrol boats, as well as police and military planes, were despatched right away to locate the vessel. The search operation included local fishing boats as well. Two of the 26 people on board were crew members and two were minors. Earlier reports indicated that other individuals were rescued from the seas, however it is unknown whether they are among the confirmed ten victims.

        Local fishing boats had supposedly opted to return to port by mid-morning due to the heavy waves in the region. All passengers were allegedly wearing life jackets, according to the crew. When night falls, however, the temperature in the region can drop below 0°C (32°F).