Photo/Illutration A picture of the Hikari No. 8 taken in 1990. The boat used to carry passengers in a regular route in the Seto Inland Sea. (Provided by a related person)

The sightseeing boat that went missing with 26 people on board in the stormy seas off the coast of Shiretoko Peninsula in Shari, Hokkaido, was designed for inland waters with gentle waves. 

A man who remembered the Kazu I as it was originally designed to sail as a passenger ship in calm seas blasted the current operator for using it in rough waters off the Hokkaido coast.

According to sources, including a small boat register book and documents from the Japan Passenger Boat Association, the Hikari No. 8, which it was originally called, was built in 1985 at a shipyard in Yamaguchi, the capital of Yamaguchi Prefecture, which faces the Seto Inland Sea.

The boat was then used to carry passengers in a regular route that connects Mihara Port in Mihara, Hiroshima Prefecture, and Ikuchijima, an island about 10 kilometers offshore, in the city of Onomichi, also in the prefecture.

The one-way voyage took about 30 minutes.

A company called Hourai Kisen operated the boat back then. But the company was dissolved and no longer exists.

The ownership of the Hikari No. 8 was transferred to a firm in Okayama Prefecture, then to an individual in Osaka, and ultimately in 2005 to the current owner, Shiretoko Pleasure Boat, according to sources.

During the process, the boat was refurbished, extending the length by 28 centimeters and deepening its depth by 10 cm.

A man who is in a maritime transportation business said he used to traverse the same route between Mihara Port and Ikuchijima and vividly remembers the white vessel called the Hikari No. 8.

“I couldn’t believe my eyes when I first saw the news of the accident,” the man said.

“But from the size and shape of the boat and the number of windows, I realized right away” that the missing boat is the one he used to know as the Hikari No. 8.

“This type of boat is custom-built, and no two are exactly alike,” he said.

According to the Japan Craft Inspection Organization, boats and ships are only allowed to sail in designated areas of marine waters.

The Hikari No. 8 was designed to navigate calm waters, such as rivers, lakes, reservoirs and harbors.

The man said, “The Seto Inland Sea is known for unruffled waters, and the waters around Ikuchijima and the surrounding area are particularly calm.”

To be transformed into a vessel that can safely sail in coastal areas, which is defined as within five nautical miles from a coast, the Hikari No. 8 appears to have added weight at the bottom of the ship to boost stability, the man said.

The boat sank off the Shiretoko Peninsula on April 23 in strong winds and high waves. So far, 11 bodies have been recovered from the ocean while another 15 passengers and crew members remain missing. 

“Even with the revamp, I think the boat was vulnerable to stormy weather and choppy seas,” the man said. “How dare (the company) continued using a boat designed for the Seto Inland Sea in Shiretoko.” 

(This article was written by Osamu Hiura and Ryoma Komiyama.)

Related News