Yacht and Cargo Ship Collide off Southern Japan: One Dead, Several Missing

Koshin Maru - ShipSpotting.com

A tragic maritime accident occurred off the coast of southern Japan on Wednesday when a yacht and a gravel-carrying cargo ship collided near Hoto Island in Oita Prefecture, leaving one person dead and several others missing.

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According to Japan Coast Guard spokesperson Nanaka Yoshida, the captain of the Koshin Maru, a 492-ton gravel carrier, reported the collision shortly after it happened. The circumstances surrounding the crash remain unclear, including the exact number of people who were on board the yacht at the time.

"We discovered one person at around 10 a.m. and passed them over to emergency services," Yoshida said. The victim, identified as 70-year-old Makoto Yamamoto from the city of Oita, was transported to a hospital in cardiac arrest and later confirmed dead, the Oita Coast Guard Office reported.

Authorities are continuing an intensive search for other possible victims, deploying patrol vessels and aircraft to scour the waters around Hoto Island.