Russia Reports A Body With Life Jacket Found On Sakhalin Coast
Russian authorities have informed the Japan Coast Guard that the body of a person who appears to be Japanese has been found on the southern coast of Sakhalin island.
Informed sources say the Russian authorities on Tuesday reported that the body is affixed with a life jacket. Details, such as the deceased person's gender and apparent age, are not known.
The tour boat "Kazu I," carrying 26 people, sank on April 23 off Hokkaido's Shiretoko Peninsula. Fourteen people have been confirmed dead, and 12 remain missing.
The Coast Guard continues to search for the missing, suspecting that they may have drifted to the north of Shiretoko Peninsula.
Japanese officials are expected to coordinate with Russian authorities to try to identify the body.
On May 19, Russia informed the Coast Guard that the body of a man had been found on Kunashiri Island. DNA tests carried out by the Russian authorities matched DNA data for a crew member of the tour boat.
Kunashiri is one of four Russian-controlled islands that Japan claims as an inherent part of its territory.