Japan halts search for missing ship crew

MANILA, Philippines — Japanese authorities have temporarily suspended search and rescue operations for the crew of the missing Panamanian-flagged cargo ship that sank off Japanese waters early Wednesday.

The search for the mostly Filipino crew of the missing vessel was temporarily suspended in light of the upcoming typhoon, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said yesterday, citing information from the Philippine embassy in Tokyo and the Philippine consulate in Osaka.

Over 30 Filipinos remain missing after the cargo ship Gulf Livestock 1 issued a distress call 185 kilometers west of Japan’s Amami Oshima island.

The vessel’s chief officer, identified in reports as 45-year old Filipino Edwardo Sareno, was the first to have been rescued by authorities who responded to the distress call.

On Friday, the DFA also confirmed that a second Filipino crewmember was found alive in a life raft from the sunken ship.

The Department of Labor and Employment identified him as Jay-Nel Rosales, 30, a deck crew and a native of Cebu.

“We are in touch with the next of kin of the crew and we are providing them all the help we can give, including the latest information on the search and rescue operation for our kababayans being done by Japanese authorities,” said Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III.

Citing reports from the Philippine Overseas Labor Office in Osaka, he added that Rosales was taken to the Kagoshima-ken Kenritsu Ooshima Hospital for complete medical check up.

Bello noted that since all crewmembers are active members of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, they are entitled to all the benefits and assistance due to distressed members.

“We are updating the relatives of our unfortunate Filipino crewmen every time we receive information from the Japanese Coast Guard, who is on top of the search and rescue operation,” he maintained.

Another individual was found dead by the search and rescue team, but the identity could not as yet be confirmed due to the condition of the remains.

According to the DFA, the two Filipino survivors have already been in contact with their respective families.

“The Philippine embassy in Tokyo, the Philippine consulate general in Osaka and the Philippine Overseas Labor Office continue to monitor and coordinate the situation with the Japanese Coast Guard, shipowner and the manning agency to extend all appropriate support for the Filipino seafarers and their families,” it added.

Gulf Livestock 1, which was carrying 6,000 cows, was en route to Tangshan in China from Napier in New Zealand when it issued a distress call that was received by Japanese authorities.

Its crewmembers include 39 Filipinos, two New Zealanders and two Australians. – Sheila Crisostomo