MANILA – The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) on Thursday said a Filipino seaman, one of the 43 people onboard a ship reported missing in Japan, has been found by authorities.
In a report to DOLE Secretary Silvestre Bello III, Beth Estrada of the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) in Osaka identified the rescued overseas Filipino worker (OFW) as chief officer Edwardo Sareno.
“One Fil crewmember was found adrift at sea but alive. He is Chief Officer Edwardo Sareno,” she said.
The POLO official added that Japanese authorities have launched search and rescue operations to find the other missing crew members.
“The Japanese Coast Guard continues to search for other missing crew using four rescue patrol boats, two airplanes and divers from the Haneda Airbase Special Rescue Team,” Estrada said.
She also reported that a distress signal was received at dawn of September 2 transmitted by a cargo ship sailing 185 kilometers west of Amami Oshima, Kagoshima prefecture, according to the 10th Regional Coast Guard Headquarters.
Typhoon No. 9 was approaching the surrounding waters at that time, she added.
Estrada said the Panama-registered freighter “Gulf Livestock 1” has an estimated 43 crew members, including 39 Filipinos, two New Zealanders, one Australian and one Singaporean.
“It is said that the freighter was loaded with cattle and left port of Napier in NZ and was heading to the port of Tangshan in China. The Japan Coast Guard continues to search for the freighter,” she added.