Chapter　5　 Safety Securement and Pollution Prevention at Sea

(Status on the Incidence of Maritime Accidents)

　 　 Vessels which necessitated rescue due to maritime accidents in the surrounding sea area of Japan for 1974 amounted to 2,489 vessels and about 2,160 thousand gross tons, the lowest in the number of vessels but highest in gross tonnage, since the establishment of the Maritime Safety Agency. The damage amount to the ship and cargo accompanying the above accidents came to about 46,800 million yen.
　 　 The number of people killed or missing by maritime accidents was 630 persons, the highest record in the latest 6 years as shown in (Fig. 2-(5)-1). Moreover 598 persons were killed or missing due to wounds, sickness and a fall into the sea, none of which were caused by maritime accidents, bringing the combined casualty to 1,228 persons killed or missing.