The trip cruise ship Ginga ran aground off Yamaguchi Prefecture in Japan. On board of the vessel were 162 high school students and teachers, who were on cruise trip around the coast. Due to navigation mistake and hit by the current, the cruise ship ran aground on rocky shoals on 1 nautical mile off Suo-Oshima Town shores. The duty officers on board of the ship Ginga sent a distress signal and the coast guard sent immediately several rescue boats at the scene of the accident. All the passengers and crew members were rescued without any serious injuries. The local authorities and coast guard started salvage operations to tug the vessel and refloat it, but the hull is broken and there is water ingress.
The cruise ship Ginga (MMSI: 431000461) has length of 59.00 m, beam of 10.00 m and summer draft of 3.80 m. The vessel is operating as passenger ship for coastal cruises. The vessel has deadweight of 97 DWT and gross tonnage of 602 GRT.