The 19 ton tugboat Meiyu No. 18 capsized and sank in the Tsugaru Strait off Hokkaido, Japan. The Meiyu No. 18 was proceeding form Hakodate with a pontoon barge loaded with ship parts when the tug lost stability and rolled over. One crewman on board was lucky enough to find a small breathing space in the cabin. He was spent 15 hours trapped until he was later rescued by the Japanese Coast Guard. Three other crewmen perished with two of their bodies recovered.
The 52 meter long, 828 dwt fishing vessel Akanett became disabled off Hokkaido, Japan. The Akanett had suffered engine failure while a gale was blowing in the area with waves up to 5 meters high. The crew requested assistance from the Japanese Coast Guard. The Coast Guard dispatched a salvage tug to the scene which took the Alanett under tow. The vessels proceeded to Hakodate, Hokkaido. No reports of injuries, damage or pollution released.
The fishing vessel Wen Chun collided with the fishing vessel Guoji 909 off Nemuro, Hokkaido, Japan. The Guoji 909 broke up and sank after the collision. The 40 crewmen on the Guoji 909 were rescued by the Wen Chun. No reports of injuries. The Wen Chun is proceeding to a port on Hokkaido.
