Japan’s coast guard said the second survivor of a capsized cattle ship on its way to China from New Zealand, who had been pulled unconscious from the waters of the East China Sea on Friday, had died.
The coast guard had said the man was found unconscious about 120 km (75 miles) north-northwest of Amami Oshima island and transferred to a hospital.
A life jacket and cattle carcass were also collected from the same area, the coast guard said, and the search was continuing for 41 other crew members.
Three vessels, one airplane and two divers were taking part in the search for the Gulf Livestock 1, which went missing on Wednesday after it sent a distress call as Typhoon Maysak lashed the area with strong winds and heavy seas.
UAE-based Gulf Navigation issued a statement saying the Panamanian-flagged Gulf Livestock 1 was their vessel.
“We are monitoring the situation closely,” said a spokesman for Gulf Navigation, adding that it was working with those involved in rescue efforts and regretted the loss of livestock.
The ship, with a cargo of nearly 6,000 cows, sent a distress call from the west of Amami Oshima island in southwestern Japan on Wednesday as Typhoon Maysak lashed the area with strong winds and heavy seas.
Sareno Edvarodo, a 45-year-old chief officer from the Philippines, was rescued on Wednesday night, Japan’s coast guard said.
The crew of 43 was made up of 39 people from the Philippines, two from New Zealand, and two from Australia, the coast guard said.
The coast guard quoted Edvarodo as saying the ship lost an engine before it was hit by a wave and capsized.
Reporting by Tetsushi Kajimoto.