Woman rescued after 36 hours drifting at sea off Japanese coast
Japanese authorities have reported that a woman was found 50 miles from the coast after drifting at sea for approximately 36 hours. Floating on the water with the aid of a buoy, she traveled over 155 miles during that time.
7:56 AM EDT, July 11, 2024
The Japanese coast guard launched a search operation immediately after receiving a notification about the disappearance of a 20-year-old Chinese national in Shizuoka Prefecture, located on the eastern coast of Honshu Island. The woman's acquaintance reported the disappearance on Monday evening.
36-hour ordeal
The woman was found early in the morning on Wednesday, July 10, on the southern tip of the Boso Peninsula in Chiba Prefecture, east of Tokyo. According to a Japanese official, the 20-year-old was rescued by the crew of a passing cargo ship, which also informed the rescue services.
The rescued woman told the rescuers that waves swept her away, and she could not return to shore. Thanks to the buoy she had with her, she stayed afloat for so long. Without the buoy, she might not have been able to stay afloat for so long, and the story could have ended tragically.
It is estimated that the distance between the place where the woman was found and the shore was around 50 miles. However, the distance she traveled is much greater. In a straight line between Shizuoka and Chiba Prefectures, it's over 155 miles.
A happy ending
After being found, the Chinese woman was immediately taken to the hospital. The woman was fortunate. She survived despite the dangers of sunstroke during the day, hypothermia at night, or being hit by a ship. Moreover, after being checked by doctors, it turned out that the 20-year-old's health was not in any danger. She was only dehydrated.
