Passengers, crew rescued from stricken ferry

A ferry which ran aground Friday about 200 meters off the coast of Kumano, Mie Prefecture, is pictured here around 10 a.m., some five hours after it sent out a distress call. Seven passengers and 21 crew members were rescued from the 7,910-ton Ariake, which came to grief amid high waves and strong winds when it was about 40 kilometers offshore in the Pacific Ocean. Over the intervening hours, it drifted on its side until it ran aground and began to leak heavy fuel oil. A 70-year-old passenger from Tokyo and a 42-year-old crew member received slight injuries. The Owase Coast Guard Office said the ferry, operated by the A-Line Ferry Co., was bound for Kagoshima when it was struck by a 4-meter wave, causing it to tilt 22 degrees. The force of the wave caused the 3,300-ton cargo, including 38 vehicles, to shift, coast guard officials said. The ferry departed Tokyo on Thursday afternoon.(IHT/Asahi: November 14,2009)