10 killed after tourist boat sinks off Japan; 16 still missing 

Tokyo: In an unfortunate incident, ten of the 26 missing people died in a boat accident in northern Japan, while, the search for the remaining passengers continued – with little hope of finding them alive in the cold. 

According to details, the Japanese sightseeing cruise ship was carrying 26 passengers, including two crew and two children, when it got into trouble Saturday afternoon near the tip of the Shiradoki Peninsula. 

Rescuers said that 10 people were retrieved Sunday from the frigid sea and the rocky coast of a northern Japanese national park. 

The coast guard said the 10 victims — seven men and three women — were adults.

The location, near the Kashuni Waterfall, is known as a difficult place to maneuver boats because of its rocky coastline and strong tide. 

The sightseeing vessel made an emergency call early Saturday afternoon, saying its bow had flooded and that it was beginning to sink and tilt, the coast guard said. 

Contact with the boat had since been lost. The coast guard said the operator told them that everyone on the boat was wearing a life vest, but some of the victims found were without them. 

Japanese authorities are often slow to confirm deaths from accidents and natural disasters, as deaths must be confirmed by an official coroner. 

Moreover, average April sea temperatures in Shiretoko National Park are just above freezing, which experts say would cause hypothermia.

The Transport Ministry launched an investigation into the boat’s operator, which had two accidents last year. 

However, the ministry said it was looking into safety standards and the decision to conduct the tour despite rough weather on Saturday.