NATIONAL NEWS

Woman swept to sea while swimming rescued 37 hours later and 50 miles away

Jul 11, 2024, 4:46 PM | Updated: 4:50 pm

In this photo released by Japan Coast Guard, a woman is airlifted by a coast guard helicopter  off ...

In this photo released by Japan Coast Guard, a woman is airlifted by a coast guard helicopter off Nojimazaki, Chiba prefecture, Japan Wednesday, July 10, 2024. A Chinese woman who was swept out to sea while swimming at a Japanese beach was rescued 37 hours later after drifting in a swimming ring 80 kilometers (50 miles) away in the Pacific Ocean, officials said Thursday. (Japan Coast Guard via AP)

(Japan Coast Guard via AP)

TOKYO (AP) — A Chinese woman who was swept out to sea while swimming at a Japanese beach was rescued 37 hours later after drifting in an inflatable swim ring more than 80 kilometers (50 miles) in the Pacific Ocean, officials said Thursday.

Japan’s coast guard launched a search for the woman, identified only as a Chinese national in her 20s, after receiving a call Monday night from her friend saying she had disappeared while swimming at Shimoda, about 200 kilometers (125 miles) southwest of Tokyo.

She was likely swept out to sea by a current and an evening seaward wind from the mountains and her swim ring made it more difficult to move against the wind, experts said.

The woman was spotted by a cargo ship early Wednesday, about 36 hours after she disappeared off the southern tip of Boso Peninsula, the coast guard said.

The cargo ship asked a passing LPG tanker, the Kakuwa Maru No. 8, to help. Two of its crew members jumped into the sea and rescued the woman, officials said. She was airlifted by a coast guard helicopter to land, they said.

Crew members come to the rescue

In a video released by the Japanese coast guard, the woman — dry and wrapped in a pale blue blanket — stood on the deck of the tanker with a crew member who stood by her in case she lost her balance, while others quietly looked on. A coast guard helicopter hovered above. When she was attached to a rope and safely taken into the chopper, she waved at the tanker crew.

Crew members of the tanker who helped in the rescue told TV Asahi that they shouted to the woman not to give up as she bobbed up and down in waves that were about 2 meters (6.5 feet) high. Two of them jumped into the water and tied a rope around the woman, while other crew pulled her up to the tanker, they said.

One crew member said everyone was relieved the woman survived, even though she seemed to be exhausted.

‘Heros’

Social media was filled with messages praising the crew members who helped in the rescue as “heroes,” saying they did a “good job,” while others celebrated the woman’s perseverance and survival in good health.

The woman was slightly dehydrated but was in good health and walked away after being examined at a nearby hospital, the officials said.

The coast guard said she had drifted more than 80 kilometers (50 miles) and was lucky to have survived despite the danger of heat stroke, hypothermia at night or being hit by a ship in the dark.

Hidetoshi Saito, a senior member of the Society of Water Rescue and Survival Research, said in a televised interview that the woman’s survival was like “a miracle.”

The Chinese Embassy in Tokyo on Thursday noted the safe rescue of the woman in cooperation with the Chinese Consulate and the Japanese authorities as well as the cargo and the tanker crew. In the message, the embassy urged Chinese residents in Japan to check weather and maritime conditions, use caution when going to the beach or engaging in marine activity and to choose locations staffed by lifeguards.

KSL 5 TV Live

National News

FILE - A Delta Air Lines jet leaves the gate, Friday, July 19, 2024, at Logan International Airport...

David Koenig, The Associated Press

Most airlines except one are recovering from the CrowdStrike tech outage

Delta Air Lines struggled for a fourth straight day to recover from a worldwide technology outage caused by a faulty software update, stranding tens of thousands of passengers and drawing unwanted attention from the federal government.

5 months ago

FILE - President Joe Biden attends Working Session III of the NATO Summit in Washington, July 11, 2...

Associated Press

Hollywood reacts to Joe Biden exiting the presidential race

Hollywood was quick to react to the news that President Joe Biden was ending his bid for reelection and endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris.

5 months ago

Vice President Kamala Harris speaks from the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Monday, J...

Zeke Miller and Seung Min Kim

Harris wins Pelosi endorsement, claims many of the delegates she needs for the nomination

Vice President Kamala Harris moved swiftly Monday to lock up Democratic delegates behind her campaign for the White House after President Joe Biden stepped aside.

5 months ago

WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 22: United Sates Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle testifies before th...

Alanna Durkin Richer and Farnoush Amiri

Secret Service director, grilled by lawmakers on the Trump assassination attempt, says: ‘We failed’

The Secret Service director is set to testify before a congressional committee as calls mount for her to resign over security failures at a rally where a 20-year-old gunman attempted to assassinate former President Donald Trump.

5 months ago

FILE - A Delta Air Lines jet leaves the gate, Friday, July 19, 2024, at Logan International Airport...

Associated Press

Delta Air Lines says cancellations continue as it tries to restore operations after tech outage

Airlines, including Delta Air Lines, continued to struggle to restore operations two days after a faulty software update caused technological havoc worldwide.

5 months ago

People wait in line at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport on July 20 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Me...

Dalia Faheid and Lauren Mascarenhas, CNN

More than 1,500 US flights canceled for the third day straight as airlines slowly recover from global tech outage

More than 1,500 US flights have been canceled for the third day straight, as airlines struggle to recover from a global tech outage that left thousands of passengers stranded at airports.

5 months ago

Sponsored Articles

young male technician is repairing a printer at office...

Les Olson

Unraveling the dilemma between leasing and buying office technology

Carefully weigh these pros and cons to make an informed decision that best suits your business growth and day-to-day operation. 

A kitchen in a modern farmhouse....

Lighting Design

A room-by-room lighting guide for your home

Bookmark this room-by-room lighting guide whenever you decide to upgrade your lighting or style a new home.

Photo courtesy of Artists of Ballet West...

Ballet West

The rising demand for ballet tickets: why they’re harder to get

Ballet West’s box office is experiencing demand they’ve never seen before, leaving many interested patrons unable to secure tickets they want.

Electrician repairing ceiling fan with lamps indoors...

Lighting Design

Stay cool this summer with ceiling fans

When used correctly, ceiling fans help circulate cool and warm air. They can also help you save on utilities.

Side view at diverse group of children sitting in row at school classroom and using laptops...

PC Laptops

5 internet safety tips for kids

Read these tips about internet safety for kids so that your children can use this tool for learning and discovery in positive ways.

Women hold card for scanning key card to access Photocopier Security system concept...

Les Olson

Why printer security should be top of mind for your business

Connected printers have vulnerable endpoints that are an easy target for cyber thieves. Protect your business with these tips.

Woman swept to sea while swimming rescued 37 hours later and 50 miles away