Overview
- The three adult men left on a single rented jet ski at about 10:30 a.m. on Monday and were reported overdue to Otsu Kita police at roughly 11:30 a.m.
- Rescuers found an unmanned jet ski about 6 kilometers east of Wani fishing port at around 1:30 p.m., but the three occupants have not been located.
- Prefectural police and fire units deployed boats and helicopters and continued active searches into the evening for the missing men.
- The Japan Meteorological Agency recorded a maximum instantaneous wind speed of 12.4 m/s near Otsu that day and locals noted strong 'Hira-oroshi' gusts that can endanger small watercraft.
- The incident follows multiple water-sport accidents on Lake Biwa the previous day, when five people were rescued, highlighting elevated short-term hazards for recreational users and responders.