A fatal scuba diving accident happened in the morning of Apr. 30th off Kuroshima, Taketomi Island.

According to Ishigaki Coast Guard officials, 50-year-old Machiko Sasaki from Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, was found 400 meters off the coast west of Kuroshima Island.  She was taken to the Prefectural Yaeyama Hospital where she was pronounced dead.

Sasaki had been scuba diving around the area. The Ishigaki Coast Guard is investigating the cause of the accident.

There have been seven fatalities related to marine leisure activities in the prefecture since the beginning of the year.  That is three more than during the same period of the previous year. Coast Guard officials are urging people to pay careful attention to weather and their own physical condition when engaging in marine leisure activities.

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