Fears for 26 as tour boat disappears

A SIGHTSEEING boat with 26 people on board has gone missing without trace off a Japanese island.

The crew of the Kazu 1 reported water flooding in and said passengers were in lifejackets with the boat tilting at 30 degrees before contact was lost yesterday.

Fishing boats in the area around the northern island of Hokkaido had returned to port by mid-morning because of rough seas.

Five rescue boats and two planes began an urgent search yesterday afternoon but nothing had been reported last night.

The sightseeing route was said to have been near the Kashinu Falls on the Shiretoko peninsula.