High school student dies in waters near Okinawa U.S. military base after school trip boat departs despite high wave advisory
Two people died after boats carrying high school students capsized off the coast of Okinawa, Japan, where construction is underway to relocate a U.S. military airfield.
According to Kyodo News and Asahi Shimbun, two vessels capsized on the morning of the 16th in waters off Henoko, Nago City, where relocation construction for the U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma is being conducted. Four passengers were injured in the accident, and two were transported to the hospital unconscious, where they later died. Local media reported that the deceased were a ship captain in his 70s and a high school student on a school trip from Kyoto Prefecture.
Eighteen students from a high school in Kyoto Prefecture were aboard the two vessels as part of a peace education program. Teachers reportedly did not accompany them on the boats.
A high wave advisory was in effect at the time of the incident. Asahi Shimbun reported that while protests against the base relocation and observation tours have continued in Henoko for more than 20 years, this marks the first fatal accident at sea related to these activities.
The Japanese and U.S. governments have been pursuing plans to relocate the military airfield from Futenma in southern Okinawa to Henoko following persistent complaints about noise and safety concerns. The Japanese government is conducting large-scale land reclamation work at Henoko and plans to complete the relocation project in the 2030s.
However, some Okinawa residents have opposed the Henoko relocation, arguing that the base should be moved outside of Okinawa Prefecture entirely.
Separately, U.S. media reported that up to three warships carrying approximately 2,500 U.S. Marines are transiting from the Indo-Pacific region to the Middle East. The deployment includes the USS Tripoli, homeported in Sasebo, Nagasaki Prefecture, and elements of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit based in Okinawa. The expeditionary unit departing from Okinawa reportedly includes landing craft, helicopters, F-35 fighter jets, and an 800-member infantry battalion.
AloJapan.com