Masakuni Shomeya, a boat owner who was active in taking part in the protests against building a replacement facility to MCAS Futenma off Henoko, drowned on Sunday when he tried to catch his boat that had gotten loose as he tried to take off from the port near Tima Fishing Port in Henoko, Nago.

According to an eye-witness, Shomeya was preparing to take off from the port with another protester about 8 a.m. when the boat was caught by the wind. Shomeya then dived into the sea in order to catch the boat but for some reason sank to the bottom and drowned. The boat with the other man in it drifted to the shore at Sedake. The man was not harmed.

Someya was known to be a very active protester in Henoko and often took other protesters to the sea in his boat.

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