Analysis Weather and Current Condition about Shiretoko Maritime Accident 2022

In April 2022, a maritime accident off Shiretoko Peninsula resulted in the sinking of a sightseeing boat with all crew members missing. The study reveals that post-accident weather conditions—marked by rapid changes in wind direction and increased wave height due to a cold front passage—significantly hindered search efforts. Using virtual dye dispersion modeling, researchers predicted drift patterns, explaining why survivors were initially found near Shiretoko but later discovered around Kunsasan and Sakhalin. The analysis attributes these shifts to changing sea surface currents influenced by high-pressure systems, which caused east-west oscillations before dispersing debris northwestward.

INUKAI, N., ABE, J., & SAITO, H. (2023). 2022年4月に発生した知床半島海難事故での気象および海表面の流況変化の把握. Japanese Journal of JSCE, 79(18), n. https://doi.org/10.2208/jscejj.23-18187