HOKKAIDO, Feb 27 (News On Japan) –
In February, a male college pupil who climbed onto drift ice alongside the coast of Koshimizu in Hokkaido’s Sea of Okhotsk area was swept out to sea and later rescued, prompting consultants to challenge recent warnings that such actions carry life-threatening dangers.
The Sea of Okhotsk turns into blanketed in drift ice every winter, drawing giant numbers of vacationers desperate to witness the seasonal spectacle.
However, on the top of the drift ice tourism season, a troubling incident solid a shadow over the favored attraction.
On February twentieth, 4 male college college students climbed onto drift ice at a seaside in Koshimizu. When two of them sensed hazard and jumped off, the impression brought on the ice floe carrying the remaining two to float roughly 200 meters offshore.
One of the scholars stated, “Are there any injuries? No. The two who got off first were not hurt,” including that the 2 who have been later rescued have been additionally unhurt.
The two college students stranded on the ice have been rescued about an hour and a half later by hearth division divers. Although they have been moist under the knees, they fortuitously sustained no accidents.
When the positioning was revisited on February twenty third, the drift ice that had coated the ocean over the weekend had utterly disappeared.
Experts say drift ice can transfer quickly in a brief interval as a result of wind and ocean currents.
Hidetoshi Saito, a board member of the Japan Society of Water Rescue and Accident Prevention, stated, “Ten minutes after you step onto drift ice, you may already be in a completely different location. It is constantly shifting due to wind, waves and ocean currents.”
Another critical hazard is the temperature of the seawater. Saito joined a drift ice tour final 12 months and skilled the chilly firsthand.
“After removing my gloves and falling into the seawater, the moment my hands were submerged, it felt as if thousands of needles were piercing them. That’s how painful it was,” Saito stated.
Even in instances like this one, the place solely the realm under the knees turns into moist, physique warmth could be misplaced quickly.
“If you become severely chilled, your trousers may freeze, and the cold from your legs can spread throughout your entire body,” Saito stated. “Your judgment becomes impaired, and if you try to force yourself to swim back, that could be the end.”
Local governments and the Japan Coast Guard are urging individuals to not climb onto drift ice, warning that falling into the ocean poses a direct risk to life.
Source: HBCニュース 北海道放送