An 18-year-old youth is missing after strong currents carried an inflatable boat he was riding out to sea off Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, local police reported Saturday.
The youth and five of his friends, all between the ages of 17 and 18, had been riding in three inflatable boats measuring 2 meters long and 1 meter wide Friday night when they got in trouble while heading to an islet about 1.5 km off the coast, according to the police.
The five other youths were rescued unharmed.
The Japan Coast Guard's Yokosuka office reported waves as high as 2.5 meters and strong winds in the area at the time of the incident.