On July 10, 2024, a remarkable rescue operation took place off the east coast of Japan. A Chinese woman in her 20s, who had been swept 80 kilometers (50 miles) out to sea on a floating ring, was successfully rescued by two tanker crew members. The incident occurred south of Tokyo, where the woman was spotted by a cargo ship crew, who then radioed for help from the tanker.
The Japan Coast Guard airlifted the woman by helicopter to the city of Yokohama, where she was taken to the hospital for assessment following her 36-hour ordeal at sea. Despite being dehydrated, the woman’s consciousness was clear, and there was no need for hospitalization, according to the coast guard.
The woman had initially gone missing from a beach in Shimoda city, Shizuoka prefecture, at around 7:30 p.m. on Monday. According to Japan’s public broadcaster NHK, she realized she was drifting and unable to return to the beach about 30 minutes after entering the water. Authorities believe she was swept away by currents and moderately strong winds.
Japan, with its more than 6,000 islands, is known for its beautiful beaches, particularly popular with tourists during the summer months. However, incidents at the beach are not uncommon, as evidenced by the over 500 people who were rescued in the country following beach accidents in 2019, according to the Japan Coast Guard’s most recent statistics.
