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High school boy missing after being swept from dinghy by waves

Jun 12, 2017 (Japan Today) - A high school boy in Miyagi Prefecture went missing at sea Sunday after waves swept him and a friend from their dinghy while they were trying to return to shore, police said.

Local authorities were unable to find 16-year-old Rui Sakai in search efforts by boat and helicopter but plan to continue looking for him on Monday. His 15-year-old friend managed to swim back to shore and was taken in by authorities.

The police received an emergency call around 12:10 p.m. from a third boy who was waiting for them on a beach in the city of Natori after he spotted the empty boat floating out on the water.

The three boys began playing on the beach, which had been designated a restricted-entry area after it was hit by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami, in the morning and just after 10:00 a.m. Rui and his friend went out in the dinghy, according to the police.

Source: ANNnewsCH

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