A LIVESTOCK carrier regularly trading from Australia is believed to have capsized in a typhoon off Japan during a voyage from Napier, NZ with cattle.
The 2002-built Gulf Livestock 1 (IMO 9262883), originally built as a containership, converted in 2015 and listed by registers as operated by Jordan’s Hijazi & Ghosheh Co under the Panama flag, loaded 4,300 breeding dairy cows for Tangshan, China and sailed from Napier on 14 August.
The ship had 43 persons aboard, reportedly including two Australians, two New Zealanders and a Singapore-based vet with an Australian passport.
Yesterday (2 September) the Japanese Coast Guard picked up a distress message from the ship, which was located around 115 miles west of Amami Oshima Island in southwestern Japan, at around 1.40 am. At the time Gulf Livestock 1 was believed to be in the vicinity of Category 4 Typhoon Maysak and up to 250kmh winds.
The vessel last previously made contact when sailing north through Papua New Guinea waters.
So far, only a lone crew member has been rescued. The rescued man, identified as Sareno Edvardo, 45, of the Philippines told rescuers that the vessel lost engine power, then capsized after being hit by a massive wave.
Japan’s coastguard is reported to have a number of vessels, airplanes and divers taking part in the search for the vessel.
US-based maritime website G-captain reports that in late July Gulf Livestock 1 was rendered assistance by the Philippine Navy after it lost propulsion off Balut Island in Southern Philippines. Repairs were eventually completed without incident.
