Search for ship feared sunk off coast of Japan with 42 crew and 5,800 cows onboard

Rescue crews are searching for a livestock ship with 42 crew that is reported to have sunk off the coast of Japan in rough seas caused by Typhoon Maysak.

A survivor from the ship told the Japanese coastguard the Gulf Livestock 1 fell victim to rough weather brought on by the storm.

The man, who is in good health, was spotted by a Japanese navy surveillance aircraft wearing a life vest and waving while bobbing in the water.

The Filipino crew member was later named as Sareno Edvarodo, a 45-year-old chief officer.

Mr Edvarodo told rescuers the ship capsized before sinking, said Yuichiro Higashi, a spokesman for the Japanese coastguard’s regional headquarters conducting the search.

According to Mr Edvarodo, the ship lost an engine before it was hit by a wave and capsized, a coastguard spokeswoman said.

When the ship capsized, crew were instructed to put on lifejackets. Mr Edvarodo told the coastguard he jumped into the water and did not see any other crew members before he was rescued.

The 12,000-ton ship's other crew members included 38 people from the Philippines, two from New Zealand and another two from Australia. It was also carrying 5,800 cows.

The vessel, owned by Gulf Navigation Holding, based in the United Arab Emirates, was situated west of the western coast of Amami Oshima island in southwestern Japan in the East China Sea when it sent a distress call early on Wednesday.

It had left the port of Napier in north-eastern New Zealand in mid-August and was on its way to the port of Tangshan on China’s eastern coast.

The cause of its distress was not immediately known, but the weather in the area was rough due to Typhoon Maysak, which brought with it strong winds and heavy seas.

The typhoon has since passed the area and the weather during the search is fine, Mr Higashi said. Three vessels, five airplanes and two divers had been deployed as part of the operation.

The Philippines government said it was coordinating with the Japanese coastguard as it searched for the missing crew members ahead of another typhoon building in the region.

Typhoon Haishen is brewing south of Japan and is expected to hit the Korean coast on Sunday or Monday.