Rescue helicopters have so far found nine people since a tourist boat with 26 people on board off the coast of Japan reported a leak and then disappeared on Saturday.

It is unclear whether the people were found alive or not. Japanese public broadcaster NHK reports that seven of them were unconscious.

In Japan, it often takes a long time to confirm deaths after accidents and natural disasters, as people must be declared dead by a coroner. Relatives must also be notified before deaths are made public.

All the victims were found on Sunday in the area where the boat raised the alarm, which is a difficult place to navigate due to a rocky coastline.

Source: TT