Overview

• A 14-year-old Fukuchiyama City junior high soccer player was swept about 20 meters offshore at Asamogawa Beach on August 8 while retrieving a lost sandal during a training outing with 13 teammates.
• Coach Akihiro Nakamura, 53, dove in to rescue the student and later died in hospital, while the player remains unconscious in critical condition.
• Surfers at the scene pulled both the coach and student to safety before emergency responders transported them to hospital.
• Kyotango police have opened an investigation into the timeline of events and are examining lifeguard coverage and emergency response protocols.
• The tragedy follows other recent coastal drowning incidents and underscores the vulnerability of untrained rescuers and the need for robust beach safety measures.