A tourist boat that sank off Hokkaido last month, leaving 14 people dead and 12 missing, was successfully raised to the surface Thursday after an initial attempt to salvage the vessel earlier this week resulted in it sinking to greater depths.
Nippon Salvage Co., hired by the Japan Coast Guard, lifted the 19-ton Kazu I from the seabed at a depth of 182 meters, with its hull breaking the surface at around 6:55 p.m.
The boat is scheduled to be placed on the deck of the barge Kaishin using a crane Friday morning after being taken to shallow waters, where its anchor can be dropped.