Shinnichimaru Vessel Reviews and Specifications

On May 8, 2022, the salvage vessel 'Shinnichi Maru' was deployed by the Japan Coast Guard to investigate the submerged tour boat 'Kazu I' near the eastern coast of Hokkaido. This operation saw the first use of the remotely operated vehicle (ROV) Hakuyo, equipped with advanced imaging technology, aimed at exploring the interior of the 'Kazu I', which tragically sank off the Shiretoko Peninsula on April 23 while carrying 26 passengers. As of May 8, search teams had been able to recover 14 bodies, leaving 12 individuals still unaccounted for. The ROV made its journey to the disaster site on the evening of May 7, and operations to examine the wreckage, situated approximately 120 meters beneath the surface, commenced early on May 8. Earlier inspections by an underwater camera utilized by the Hokkaido police were conducted five days prior but yielded no leads regarding the missing persons. A series of strong tides had previously obstructed efforts by multiple agencies, including the Japan Coast Guard and the Maritime Self-Defense Force, to secure images from inside the vessel. In a bid to enhance the search efforts, the government is planning to hire a private company by the end of May to orchestrate divers equipped with specialized saturation diving gear. These divers will not only search the interior of the 'Kazu I' but also assess the damage sustained by the vessel and the surrounding area to facilitate future salvage operations, which will involve securing the boat with cables for extraction by a floating crane. For additional reports accompanied by photos and video footage, visit: https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14616550 and https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14610552.