A high-speed jet ferry carrying more than 100 passengers lost control of its rudder on Wednesday in waters south of Tokyo and has been towed to an Oshima Island port, the Japan Coast Guard said.
The 280-ton jetfoil vessel operated by Tokai Kisen Co. reported at around 10 a.m. that it had "lost control of steering due to an oil leak." There have been no reports of injuries among the 116 passengers and five crew members.
Three passengers so far reported they were not feeling well, and food and water were delivered to the ship by a coast guard helicopter.
The coast guard faced difficulties in towing the ferry due to relatively rough wind and wave conditions.
The ship, named "Seven Islands Ai," had left Tokyo Bay and was headed to Shikine Island of the Izu island chain. It was adrift about 17 kilometers southwest of Nojimasaki Lighthouse, a historic landmark on the southern tip of the Boso Peninsula in Chiba Prefecture, the coast guard said.
Jetfoils are a type of hydrofoil vessel, operated by Tokai Kisen as high-speed ferries capable of reaching a top speed of 80 km per hour, according to the company's website.
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