Two boats carrying 21 people capsized Monday off Henoko in Okinawa; a 17-year-old female student and the captain of one vessel later died. Eighteen of those aboard were Kyoto high school students on a peace-education trip. All 21 were rescued from the water and two others were injured but not critically. The Japan Coast Guard is investigating; a wave advisory was in effect though officials said the sea did not appear very rough. Henoko is the long-contested site for a planned U.S. base relocation.
Two Dead After Boats Carrying Kyoto Students Capsize Near Contested Henoko Base Site
Japanese Coast Guard officers prepare to search for capsized boats, at a port in Henoko, Nago city, Okinawa prefecture, Monday, March 16, 2026. (Kyodo News via AP)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Two small vessels carrying 21 people capsized Monday off Henoko, a deeply contested site for the planned relocation of a U.S. Marine Corps base on Okinawa, authorities said. All aboard were thrown into the water; two later died and two others were injured.
What Happened
The Japan Coast Guard said 18 of those aboard were students from a Kyoto high school on a peace-education outing. The students were split between two boats: 10 on the Heiwa Maru and eight on the smaller Fukutsu. Coast Guard rescuers pulled all 21 people from the water.
Fatalities and Injuries: A 17-year-old female student and the captain of the Fukutsu were later pronounced dead, officials said. Two other people sustained injuries that were not described as life-threatening.
Investigation and Conditions
Coast Guard investigators said the cause of the capsizing remains under investigation. The vessels overturned about one kilometer (roughly half a mile) east of Henoko while a wave advisory was in effect. Officials noted the sea did not appear especially rough and said there was no immediate sign the two boats collided.
Context
Henoko has been the focus of persistent protests and lawsuits over plans to relocate the U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma from a densely populated area of Okinawa. Those disputes between Okinawan authorities and Tokyo have delayed the relocation for nearly three decades. Officials said the students were not participating in any protest at the time of the accident.
Background: Okinawa hosts roughly half of the approximately 50,000 American troops stationed in Japan under the bilateral security pact, and many local residents cite concerns about accidents, noise, pollution and crime associated with U.S. bases.
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