Sighting may be a raft
Call for Japanese coast guard to send out aircraft or ship
A POSSIBLE life raft sighting has been reported to the Japan Coast Guard’s 10th regional headquarters in Kagoshima, near where live export ship Gulf Livestock I sank last month.
The ship was carrying 43 men, including Townsville veterinarian Lukas Orda, and almost 6000 cattle when it capsized and sank in the East China Sea during Typhoon Maysak.
Tasmanian cinematographer Simon Wearne said an orange dot was spotted on a satellite image 130km from the headquarters of the coast guard branch in charge of the Japanese search and rescue effort.
Mr Wearne informed the coast guard of the sighting and its coordinates just after 10am yesterday and said the discovery provided the best chance of finding survivors to date.
“It’s possible (the Coast Guard) could get onto it today if they can ascertain that this satellite image is correct,” he said.
“The satellite picked up the orange dot on (October 10), but it’s in an area where the (drift) model is not moving very much, so it will just be drifting quite slowly.
“Possibly within 30km or 40km of where it was (captured) by the satellite.”
Mr Wearne said the dot was spotted by family and friends of missing crew member Lochie Bellerby.
“They are not 100 per cent sure yet, but they think. It’s the most likely thing they’ve seen.
“It’s within checking distance anyway. We need to get there and check it out today.
“With any luck they’ll pop an aircraft out there or go out there with a vessel and see if they can find anything.”
Mr Wearne has lived in Japan for the past decade and has been heavily involved in co-ordinating the public search and rescue effort.
In recent days he captured footage and images of debris including the canopy of a life raft, life rings, life jackets, a boot, animal medication and cow carcasses washed up on islands during reconnaissance flights.