A child passenger who was rescued on Sunday has died, becoming the latest victim, a Japanese Coast Guard spokesman said Monday.
The other victims included seven men and three women, some of whom were found unconscious in the water and others dumped ashore, the regional office of the Japanese Coast Guard told CNN.
The 26 people on board include 24 tourists, a captain and a crew member. Two of the passengers were children.
The Kazu 1 was on a sightseeing tour around the picturesque Shiretoko Peninsula on Japan’s northernmost main island of Hokkaido when it apparently ran into trouble.
Authorities lost contact with the crew on Saturday afternoon; the crew said the water was flooding the stern of the ship and it had begun to sink, Japan’s NHK reported.
The crew said the boat was tilted at a 30-degree angle and the people on board were wearing life jackets, NHK reported.
Authorities believe the ship sank, but an investigation is still ongoing.
Patrol boats, planes and helicopters continue to search for the remaining 16 people on board at the time.
Local media reported that the waves in the area were up to three meters (9.8 feet) high when the boat signaled a disaster.
According to the regional website of the Japan Meteorological Agency, the temperature of the sea water in the area was icy from 35 to 37 degrees Fahrenheit (just under 3 degrees Celsius) at the time.
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