After being swept away more than 50 miles from a Japanese beach, a woman was rescued after 37 hours in the water.
According to Fox News, the woman was identified only as a Chinese national. She was in her 20s, and drifting in a swimming ring when she was finally spotted by a nearby cargo ship off the southern tip of the Boso Peninsula. She had first disappeared while swimming at Shirahama Beach in Shimoda, nearly 125 miles southwest of Tokyo.
The Japanese Coast Guard reported that they were first alerted of her vanishing around 7:55 PM on July 8. Her friend reported she was missing to a local convenience store. The woman was saved after many trying hours alone, on July 10th.
Teamwork Saves Woman Lost at Sea off Japan's Coast
The woman was first identified in the water by a passing cargo ship. The cargo ship's crew asked a passing LPG tanker to help her. Two crew members of the Kakuwa Maru No. 8 jumped into the sea and rescued the woman shortly thereafter. Once out of the water, the woman was airlifted via Coast Guard to land, where she received treatment at a nearby hospital.
Miraculously, the woman walked away after a quick examination with little concern. She was reportedly slightly dehydrated, but otherwise fine.
The Japanese Coast Guard reported her rescue as miraculous in nature. Officials expressed amazement at her condition. Having drifted for 50 miles, risks of hypothermia at night, and heat stroke under the day's sun were great. Likewise, she avoided being hit by a passing ship in the night.
The woman's rescue was really a testament to the infrastructure that builds life at sea. After first being notified of the disappearance, the Japanese Coast Guard went on alert for any individuals spotted off the Japanese Coast. A passing cargo ship was the first to lay eyes on the woman and alerted a nearby tanker of her presence.
The whole story is a reminder of not only the dangers of the unpredictable ocean, but also the complex world of life at sea. Many different crews played a hand in returning the once lost woman to safety. Her walking away unscathed was truly a miracle.
