Three Confirmed Dead After Students Swept Out to Sea in Japan

Tragedy struck off the coast of Kagoshima Prefecture in southwestern Japan when three people were confirmed dead on August 29, following a harrowing incident where students were swept out to sea the previous day. The Japan Coast Guard reported the grim discovery during an ongoing search operation.

Two of the victims have been identified by the coast guard: Haruki Shitaebisu, aged 17, and Takahiro Takemoto, aged 14. The identity of the third confirmed fatality is still being investigated. Adding to the distress, Kensei Shitaebisu, the 13-year-old brother of Haruki, remains missing.

The incident unfolded on the afternoon of August 28 when two students reportedly got into difficulty in the water off Ichikikushikino. In a desperate attempt to help, two other students are said to have jumped from nearby rocks into the sea. Tragically, all four were subsequently swept away by the currents, according to the coast guard.

Authorities managed to rescue one of the four students, a 12-year-old junior high school boy, shortly after the incident. A fifth student, who had not been directly caught in the water, alerted emergency services by calling for help. The search for the missing teenager, Kensei Shitaebisu, is continuing amidst the recovery efforts.