Ship Accident off the Sea of Japan, No Casualties To: William John From: John C. Martin Date: August 22, 2003 Yesterday afternoon two boats collided in thick fog in the high seas not far from Japan. One was a cargo ship carrying lumber, apparently on its way to Hawaii. The other was a Japanese fishing boat doing its regular fishing in this sea area. However, because of the weather condition, the captains did not realize the danger until a few seconds before the collision took place. Consequently, there was insufficient time for them to prevent the accident. According to eyewitnesses, neither of the vessels was going very fast at the time of the accident. Fortunately, there were no casualties among the crews, but both ships suffered damage close to the water line. In spite of this damage, the two ships managed to reach Harry’s Island under their own steam. What’s the reason of the accident ______ .