No additional Pinoy crewmen so far rescued from capsized ship near Japan —Bello

The Japanese Coast Guard has yet to rescue or retrieve any more Filipino crewmen who went missing after their cargo ship sank in the East China Sea during a typhoon on September 2, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said Sunday.

In a Dobol B sa News TV interview, Bello said that around 6:45 a.m., he received an update from Labor Attaché Elizabeth Marie Estrada, who is based in Osaka, that no additional Filipino crewmen have so far been rescued or retrieved from the site of the sunken Gulf Livestock 1.

"There was for awhile na report na may nakitang oil spill, kaya doon tinutukan ng mga rescuers. Pero wala silang nakitang barko. Kasi umaasa sila na 'yung oil spill na 'yun would lead them doon sa barko," Bello said.

"Pero wala pa rin. And so the latest ay wala pa ring nakitang barko, wala pa ring nakita sa mga missing na kababayan natin," he added.

On September 2, the cattle ship sent a distress call from the west of Amami Oshima Island in southwestern Japan due to Typhoon Maysak.

Filipino Sareno Edvarodo, a 45-year-old chief officer, was the first to be rescued, followed by another Filipino crewman, identified as Jay-Nel Rosales.

Meanwhile, a crewman died after being pulled unconscious from the water. He was identified to be a Filipino.

The Japanese Coast Guard had stopped its massive search and rescue operation for possible survivors, although Bello last week said "normal" operations have resumed.

Bello said the manning agency of the Filipino crewmen, Korpil Ship Management and Manning Corp., has already taken steps regarding the incident.

"In fairness din naman, kausap na namin 'yung manning agency, kinausap din nila 'yung ship owner, at sa tingin naman namin tumutulong na rin 'yung ship owner sa paghahanap," he said.

"Although initially mukhang hindi nag-react agad 'yung ship owner, pero nu'ng nakausap namin 'yung manning agency dito, sabi namin gumawa naman kayo ng paraan. At mukhang ni-contact naman ang kanilang agent doon at gumagalaw na raw," he added.

The said manning agency earlier wrote to President Rodrigo Duterte and the Department of Foreign Affairs to seek help.

“Nag-a-appeal kami if possible, if we can ask assistance of China and Korea to help with the search and rescue kasi international waters naman ‘yan e, tinutulungan lang tayo ng Japan Coast Guard,” manning agency president Elias De Los Reyes III said. —KG, GMA News