Three resort hotel staff members were found dead on Tuesday after going missing while performing maintenance work on a hot spring source in the city of Fukushima, local authorities said.
The victims — a man in his 60s who managed the hotel and two male employees in their 50s and 60s — entered a mountainous area of Takayu Onsen on Monday at around 2 p.m. for routine maintenance, according to reports from the Asahi Shimbun.
When they failed to return by the evening, a hotel staff member reported them missing to authorities shortly past 8 p.m.
A search team of about 20 police officers and firefighters were deployed Tuesday morning, and by noon, the three men were found collapsed in the snow near the hot spring source. A doctor on the scene confirmed their deaths, Asahi reported, quoting the city’s fire department.
Rescue efforts were hindered by high levels of hydrogen sulfide gas in the search area, a toxic byproduct of volcanic hot springs. Search party members had to use oxygen tanks while conducting their search, according to the report. It is possible the three men inhaled the toxic gas, though their cause of death is still being examined.
Takayu Onsen is a historic hot spring resort known for its sulfuric waters and heavy snowfall. According to the Fukushima Prefectural Government, snow depth in the area had increased from 110 centimeters on Monday morning to 146 centimeters by Tuesday morning.
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