Two people died Monday when two boats carrying students capsized off Henoko, Okinawa, near a controversial site for relocating a U.S. military base. All 21 passengers were rescued from the water, but a 17-year-old female student and the captain of one boat later succumbed to their injuries.
Key Takeaways
Two people died when two boats carrying students capsized near Henoko, Okinawa, a site for relocating a U.S. military base. All passengers were rescued from the water but two later succumbed to their injuries.
- Two boats carrying high school students capsized off Henoko, Okinawa
- 17-year-old female student and boat captain died despite rescue efforts
- Accident occurred near controversial U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma relocation site
- High-wave advisory issued but waters not particularly rough at time of accident
- Students were part of a peace education program observing the area
The Japan Coast Guard reported that 18 students from a Kyoto high school were on two boats as part of a peace education program. The larger vessel, Heiwa Maru, carried ten students while eight were aboard the smaller Fukutsu. Rescue teams pulled everyone from the water, with two others sustaining non-life-threatening injuries.
According to CBS News, the teenager was wearing a life jacket at the time of her death. A high-wave advisory had been issued for Okinawa around the time of the 10 a.m. accident, though officials noted that the waters were not particularly rough and there was no indication of a collision between the boats.
The incident occurred about half a mile east of Henoko, where protests and lawsuits have delayed plans to relocate the U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma for nearly three decades. Okinawa hosts roughly half of the 50,000 American troops stationed in Japan, with many residents expressing concerns over accidents, noise, pollution, and crime linked to the bases.
The cause of the accident remains under investigation by the Japan Coast Guard. Officials clarified that while a wave advisory was in place during the accident, there were no signs of collision between the boats. The students were part of a peace education program observing the Henoko area but were not participating in protests against the base relocation.
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