121 passengers and four crew members were on board at the time of the collision. A Japanese hydrofoil ship which was en route to Sado…
121 passengers and four crew members were on board at the time of the collision.
A Japanese hydrofoil ship which was en route to Sado Island from the port of Niigata has reportedly hit “marine life,” most likely a whale. Of the 121 passengers on board, at least 80 people were injured during the collision.
According to BBC News, ferry operators have reported a 15cm (6in) crack in its stern of the ship after it hit an object. A statement released reveals that the ferry hit “marine life” during the journey which caused the damage. In addition, part of the hydrofoil wing was bent during the collision.
While it has not been definitively confirmed that the Japanese ferry hit a whale, according to NHK, who spoke to the vice director of the municipal aquarium in Joetsu City, Niigata Prefecture, Shinichiro Ikeguchi, it is believed that the level of impact damage indicates the ferry likely hit a whale.
