TOKYO (AP) – Japanese rescuers were searching Thursday for a livestock ship that a survivor said sank with 42 crew members aboard during rough weather off a southern Japanese island, the coast guard said.
A Filipino crew member was rescued late Wednesday after Japanese navy P-3C surveillance aircraft spotted him wearing a life vest and waving while bobbing in the water.
The man, who is currently hospitalized but in good health, told rescuers that the ship stalled when an engine stopped, then capsized after being hit by a powerful broadside wave and sank, coast guard regional spokesman Yuichiro Higashi said.
The survivor, a chief officer, said he quickly put on a life jacket and jumped into the sea, following an instruction in an emergency onboard announcement. He has not seen any other crew members since then, Higashi said.
The 11,947-ton Gulf Livestock 1 ship was carrying 5,800 cows west of Amami Oshima in the East China Sea when it sent a distress call early Wednesday. The weather was rough in the area due to Typhoon Maysak.