TOKYO, Jan. 18 (Xinhua) -- The Japan Coast Guard on Wednesday said one of its patrol boats had run aground in shallow waters off the coast of Kashiwazaki City, Niigata Prefecture.

According to the Niigata coast guard, none of the 43 crew members of the patrol boat Echigo were injured, although local reports said the vessel is taking on water and leaking oil.

The patrol boat reportedly contacted the Japan Coast Guard at around 6:30 a.m. local time to say the boat was stranded as it had run aground in shallow waters.

According to Japan's public broadcaster NHK, the water is shallow in the area where the boat was on patrol when it became stranded about 1.1 km northwest from a lighthouse in Kashiwazaki City.

The Japan Coast Guard dispatched its own patrol boats to the scene to rescue the crew of the stranded vessel, which could be seen anchored in shallow, choppy waters caused by rain and strong winds.

As of 11:00 a.m. local time, the stricken patrol boat remained stranded and the crew still onboard, the NHK said.

Echigo is a 105-meter-long patrol boat weighing 3,100 tons. The large patrol boat is designed to carry a helicopter.

An investigation is underway as to why the vessel ran aground.

The latest accident of a Japan Coast Guard patrol boat running aground follows a similar one in Hokkaido in 2021 when a large patrol boat ran aground shortly after leaving port. Enditem

Related

Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)