Livestock carrier in load with 43 crew disappeared after iss

Relatives and owners call on Japanese Coastguard to continue search
Sep 17 22:21
The owners, managers and the manning agent of the 'Gulf Livestock I' have reached out urgently to the Japanese Coast Guard and states bordering the South China Sea, to resume the SAR operation with a focus on the many small uninhabited islands where relatives believed their loved ones might have reached during the severe storm. These messages have been reinforced by the owners presenting their request to the UAE Government, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to make and support the request to the Japanese, Chinese and Korean governments, via their embassies. A general alert has also gone out to all ships, including fishing vessels, passing through the region to keep a sharp look out for survivors; again requesting regional governments to support this initiative. The feasibility of sending professional dive teams was under consideration. However, the precise location of the vessel was uncertain given the strength of the two typhoons that passed through the region in quick succession. The general depth in the region - which could be in excess of 1.000 metres - and strong tidal flows were a major consideration affecting any diving operations. The owners confirmed that there would be a full investigation into the incident, together with experts and the Flag State, which will be published when completed and be available to families wishing to know exactly what happened. The testimony given to the authorities by the two survivors is part of the investigation and is currently private to the parties involved.

Survivors of shipwreck repatriated
Sep 21 22:03
Two Filipino seafarers who were rescued follwing the capsize of the 'Gulf Livestock 1' returned to the Philippines on Sep 19. They arrived at Terminal 2 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA). They were earlier identified as Eduardo Sareno, the ship's chief officer, and Jay-Nel Rosales, who worked as deck crew. Both were from Cebu. An official at the Japanese Embassy in Manila said on Sep 18 the Coastguard’s operations were ongoing. The Japanese authorities had found dead a third Filipino sailor who was identified as Joel Linao of Polomolok, South Cotabato. His remains arrived in the Philippines on Sep 17. The crew was made up of 39 Filipinos, 2 Kiwis and 2 Australians. The families of the missing Filipino crew have asked President Rodrigo Duterte for help to continue and expand the search operations in Japan.

Chinese Coastguard in vain searched for missing crew
Sep 25 12:31
Chinese authorities on Sep 24 said its Coastguard was unable to locate any of the missing crew members of the 'Gulf Livestock 1'. The China Coast Guard has conducted operations in relevant waters to search for the 36 missing members of the vessel on Sep 19 and 20, but found no trace of missing crew members. The search was conducted at the request of the Department of Labor and Employment. So far, two survivors and one fatality, all three of whom are Filipinos, have been confirmed through the Japanese Coast Guard. On Sep 10 the Japanese Coast Guard "decided to transition from full-time search operations for the crew to its usual patrol arrangements as they have found no trace of the ship sinceSep 5. Later the same day, the Embassy of Japan in the Philippines issued a statement saying that search and rescue operations were ongoing.

Life raft remains found on uninhabited island
Oct 09 11:49



Images taken during the two-week search for the crew of the 'Gulf Livestock 1' have given hope to friends and families of the crew members still missing. An update posted on Oct 6 on the GoFundMe page set up to raise money to fund the search said the images could show signs of life on islands off the south coast of Japan. The ship sank during a typhoon on Sep 2. Since then search and rescue operations have been carried out looking for any survivors.
One of the new images shows what might be a canopy from a Viking life raft, which was the same used aboard the 'Gulf Livestock 1'.
The supposed canopy was spotted by a helicopter on Kuchinoshima, off the southwest coast of Japan, approximately 260 km from the last known location of the ship.
On the island of Gajajima, an uninhabited island 35 km away from Kuchinoshima, a life ring and a blue boot was spotted on the same day. Around the same area as the islands, there have been sightings of dead cows and ship debris.
The update explained these findings are inline with the drift particle maps marine experts put together following the ship capsizing, leaving friends and families of the remaining crew extremely hopeful that more signs of the Gulf Livestock 1 and the whereabouts of its missing crew can be found.
There were still four life rafts and one lifeboat from the ship which have been unaccounted for.
Harry Morrison and Elliot O'Hara, best friends of an Australian man on board the 'Gulf Livestock 1', Will Mainprize, set up the GoFundMe, and have worked with friends and family of the remaining Australian and New Zealand crew to fund the search and rescue operations.
The GoFundMe has raised over $126,000 and any future donations will go to the search and rescue aircraft to search the remaining Tokara Island group and the islands south of Amami,
The Tokara Islands are a chain of 12 islands off Japan, many are uninhibited, though there are more regions worth searching. GoFundMe would like to start searching the Izu Island group, south of Tokyo. All of which feature as possibilities by our marine experts & drift maps. 36 Filipinos, two New Zealanders and two Australians - Queensland vet Lukas Orda and NSW man Will Mainprize - remained missing to date.
Satellite searches continued to be conducted, while another aircraft search will be carried out during the weekend of Oct 10/11. Both the Australian and New Zealand governments have previously said they were in ongoing discussions with Japanese authorities regarding the search and Japan's Coast Guard were patrolling the area.