Tour boat with 26 on board sinks with ‘no sign of survivors’ after ship issued emergency distress call

EMERGENCY crews are desperately searching for a tour boat which has sunk off the coast of Japan with no sign of the 26 passengers and crew on board.

The ship issued an emergency distress call claiming it was beginning to sink, but despite an eight-hour search, no one has yet been found.

It was cruising off the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido, near the scenic Kashuni Falls close to Shiretoko Peninsula when it issued the distress call.

The distress call was issued earlier on Saturday at 1.15pm local time (5.15am BST) to say that the 19-ton ship the Kazu1 had been flooded at the bow and was taking in water.

On board were 24 passengers – including two children – as well as two crew members.