A high school girl and a man have died in Japan’s Okinawa Prefecture after their boats capsized near the site where reclamation work is underway to relocate a US air base.
Coast Guard officials say the accident occurred on Monday morning. It happened during a peace education trip by students from Doshisha International Senior High School in Kyoto.
Two boats capsized off the coast of the Henoko district in Nago City. They were being used by people protesting the relocation of the US Marine Corps Futenma Air Station from Ginowan City, also in Okinawa.
The boats were carrying 18 students and three others. All of them were thrown into the sea but rescued.
The male captain of one of the boats and a girl fell unconscious and were treated at hospital. They were later confirmed dead.
Two others are said to have sustained injuries.
An administrative staff member at the high school said the second-year students are visiting Okinawa from Saturday to Tuesday for peace education.
The official also said the students were scheduled to visit Henoko in groups.
A civic group protesting the relocation says some 40 students visited Henoko on Monday, and about half of them boarded the boats to see the reclamation work.
AloJapan.com