Strong typhoon halts Japan Coast Guard’s search and rescue operations for missing 11,947-ton freighter and
MANILA – The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) today said search and rescue operations for the missing 11,497-ton Gulf Livestock 1 will be suspended as a powerful typhoon nears Japan and the Korean Peninsula.
In a statement releasd at midday today, the DFA, citing reports from the Philippine Embassy in Tokyo and the Philippine Consulate General in Osaka, the DFA said two Filipino survivors have been in contact with their respective families in the Philippines.
The typhoon with Haishen as international name comes at a difficult time as it follows Typhoons Maysak which ravaged South Korea last Thursday, September 3. Typhoon Bavi made a landfall in North Korea last August 27, Residents from both North and South Korea are still recovering from the two weather disturbances.
Haishen is the first super typhoon in the western Pacific Ocean since last week. Th typhoon is said to be very powerful and dangerous as it nears land.
The Philippine Embassy in Tokyo as well as the Philippine Consulate General in Osaka as well as the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) continue to coordinate with the Japanese Coast Guard, the shipowner and the manning agency to extend support for the Filipino seafarers and their families.
Two of the 39-strong Filipino crew have been rescued while another crewmember was declared dead at a medical facility. They were identified as Eduardo Sereno and Jay-nel Rosales. Thee fatality has not been identified as of this writing.
MV Gulf Livestock 1 was loaded with nearly 6,000 heads of cattle and was bound for China when it went missing. There were other nationalities aboard the vessel.
A Japan Coast Guard spokesman was quoted by the Associated Press saying there were dozens of cow carcasses floating in the area. (Melo M. Acuña)
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The missing freighter MV Gulf Livestock 1 (left), an unidentified Filipino seafarer upon transfer to a Japanese Coast Guard vessel and an actual photo of the rescue operations. However, with th coming typhoon, search and rescue operations will be suspended. (Photos from the 10th Regional Japan Coast Guard Headquarters)
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