Three dead following vessel collision in Japan’s Seto Inland Sea

The Japan Coast Guard has confirmed that three people were killed while a fourth suffered injuries after their yacht collided with another vessel in the Seto Inland Sea off Japan's Yamaguchi Prefecture on Sunday, November 17.

The incident occurred at around 05:35 local time on Monday when the yacht was struck by a tug towing a 60-metre-long barge. The yacht sank shortly after collision with its four occupants still on board.

Of the four people who were on the yacht, three were later pronounced deceased while the fourth suffered only minor injuries.

An initial report stated that the tug's towing rope may have struck the yacht, causing it to sink. Authorities also said a dense fog warning had been issued for the area in the hours prior to the collision between the two vessels.

Local police have summoned the tug's captain after determining that the incident may been the result of negligence.