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Sire of two Scott Harris (37) is one of two New Zealanders – the other believed to be from Southland – who were on Gulf Livestock 1, with 41 other crew members.
The ship capsized off the coast of Japan last week amid strong winds and rough seas from Typhoon Maysak.
Three crew members have been rescued so far, one of whom died shortly after being found.
Japan’s coast guard suspended the search for the remaining crew on Saturday due to bad weather from a second typhoon.
Harris worked as a herd manager for nearly 6,000 head of cattle aboard the ship.
His mother, Karen Adrian, said the family had not given up hope of finding him alive, but time was passing and she wanted the government to help her with search and rescue efforts.
He said it was his son’s maiden trip and he just wants to be found and brought home.
“He is the most loyal and caring loving son any mother could wish for, you know he still says ‘I love you’ when he leaves me, you know he is just beautiful, very popular, many friends.”
He said it has been terrible for the family.
“It’s just horrendous, it’s heartbreaking, it’s unfair, it’s lonely.”
He said he did not feel that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) had kept it updated and that he had not heard from the government at all.
“I know Jacinda [Ardern] I was up there saying that she understands that there is support in place; That is not true, we have not heard from the government, or anything.
“You know we need help, I have questions I must have asked, ‘Why aren’t we there helping?’ ‘How do I get to Japan?’ ‘Shouldn’t I go?’, You know we’re just alone here with no support. “
Adrian said he had a lot of questions he wanted to answer about what happened on the ship.
“They should know that, so what are the protocols, can I get a translation of the second survivor’s testimony?
“I want to know what the sequence of events was according to those two survivors, the period of time, like after the engine failed, what it did, how long it was before the emergency systems were activated … when did the He told them to put on their life jackets, did they tell them to leave the ship? Can you confirm everything that happened?
She said survivors could answer these questions.
Adrian said there were two lifeboats visible: one was in the water, but he wanted to know if the other made it off the boat.
He also wanted to know if the ship had been found or not.
She asked what kind of training was provided on board to deal with such an emergency, as her son would have had no idea what to do, since it was his maiden voyage.
Adrian wants to know how long they’re going to keep searching and why New Zealand hasn’t deployed a search and rescue squad to help, but said MFAT told him they had to be invited.
“Why don’t we say ‘let’s come’? There are two New Zealanders in the South China Sea who need help and we are doing nothing about it.
“I just think it’s scary, I know there have been two typhoons, I know the chances are slim, but there is still a possibility, you know they could be in that other lifeboat.”
Karen Adrian was contacted by RNZ through Simon Bridges of National.
– additional reports Reuters
