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The family of a missing Southland man, who was aboard a cattle boat when it sank off the coast of Japan, may organize a private search for their son.
Lochie Bellerby’s family released a statement Wednesday saying incredible offers of support were coming in from concerned organizations and individuals from New Zealand and Australia.
The offers were from people who wanted to help speed up the search for the 40 missing Gulf Livestock 1 crew, including Bellerby and fellow New Zealander Scott Harris, while hope remained that they could be found alive.
Bids were from satellite organizations, Japanese translators, locals from Japanese fishing villages on boats searching the shores, marine experts helping with forecasting, and vessels in the area exploring the ocean.
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The family was overwhelmed by the donated resources, the support and the generosity of individuals.
But they were “puzzled by the New Zealand government’s inaction.”
“The prime minister and the foreign minister say they are doing everything possible, but this is not what is happening on the ground or, if so, the family is not aware,” they said.
On Tuesday, an independent satellite conducted a 15-kilometer-wide sweep of the area, capturing high-definition images, and today it would happen again.
If the satellite search identified objects of interest, the family was unclear about the ministry’s and the government’s overall plan to mobilize quickly.
“It appears that we have no choice but to be prepared to mount a locally organized private rescue and response plan,” the family said.
Supplied / Stuff
The Southland man Lochie Bellerby, who was aboard the ship Gulf Livestock 1 when it sank off the coast of Japan on September 2. He and fellow New Zealander Scott Harris are among 40 crew members who are still missing.
A Foreign Ministry spokesperson said they knew it was an extremely stressful time for the families of the two missing New Zealanders.
The ministry continued to provide all possible assistance to the families and they were updated as soon as any information arrived.
“Our New Zealand Embassy in Tokyo remains in close contact with the Japan Coast Guard and is passing any new information obtained by the family to the Japanese authorities.
The Japan Coast Guard continued to conduct patrols in the area and provide updates.
On Wednesday, Chancellor Winston Peters discussed matters related to the incident with his Japanese counterpart, Motegi Toshimitsu.
Peters described to Minister Motegi the views of the relatives of the two New Zealanders who are still missing.
He sought the help of Minister Motegi in responding to the problems the families had raised about the search.
Minister Peters also spoke of New Zealand’s desire to work with Panama and other interested international partners, including Japan, to explore the feasibility of conducting a search for the ship’s black box.
On Monday, Bellerby’s family expressed disappointment that the New Zealand government appeared to be putting its resources into recovering a black box “and not saving the lives of New Zealand citizens.”
Bellerby and fellow New Zealander Scott Harris were among the 43 crew of Gulf Livestock 1 when it capsized and sank during a typhoon off the coast of Japan on September 2.
Two Filipino survivors have been found, but the two Kiwis and the two Australians are among the 40 crew members who are still unknown.
The Japanese Coast Guard has canceled their full-time search, but Bellerby’s parents, Guy and Lucy, believe their son may still be alive on a life raft.
They said earlier this week that they had provided Foreign Minister Winston Peters with the latest independent search and rescue coordinates suggesting that the missing crew, had they been on life rafts, would have passed through the Japanese island of Tanega Shima. and they were being carried by the predictable but very fast Kuroshio current in a northeast direction along the southeast Japanese coast.
RNZ
The Japanese Coast Guard has canceled its full-time search for Gulf Livestock 1, the live export ship that disappeared in a typhoon in the East China Sea.
Detailed information and maps had been provided to the ministry, Maritime NZ, NZTA, and the Prime Minister’s office in the hope that they could provide the information to the Japanese authorities to assist with the search for the ” highly probable areas where the 40 missing crew members they could be. ”
Peters said Monday that officials had been asked, as a matter of priority, to relay the new information obtained by the family to Japanese authorities.
The ministry had been charged with continuing to provide all possible assistance to families and to update them as soon as the information became available.
“This is an extremely difficult time for the families of New Zealanders on the ship.”
New Zealand stayed in close contact with the Japan Coast Guard through the New Zealand embassy in Tokyo, Peters said.
