Coastguards resume search for Dubai-operated livestock ship that sank in the East China Sea


Gillian Duncan
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  • Arabic

Japanese coastguards have resumed their search for a Dubai-owned livestock ship that capsized with 43 crew and almost 6,000 cattle on board.

Gulf Livestock 1 overturned in the East China Sea last week while sailing in stormy seas caused by Typhoon Maysak.

Two crew members were rescued and one body recovered before the search was halted due to a second storm.

Flyovers resumed on Monday, and two patrol ships returned to the sea on Tuesday.

Rescuers report seeing dozens of cow carcasses in the water, as well as an empty raft, one of the ship’s life vests and a floating bundle of rope.

Traces of fuel have also been seen in the sea, which is a sign the ship is submerged.

The vessel left New Zealand in the middle of August bound for Tangshan in east China, with 5,800 cows on board.

The ship sent a distress signal on September 2 after losing an engine before it hit a wave and capsized, according to Sareno Edvarodo, a 45-year-old chief officer from the Philippines.

He was picked up by coastguards, who found him while searching for the ship.

Mr Edvarodo said the crew was instructed to put on lifejackets and he jumped into the water but did not see anyone else before he was rescued.

The coastguard pulled a second survivor from the water on Friday.

Jay-nel Rosals, a 30-year-old deckhand from the Philippines, was floating in a raft in the waters north of the Amami Oshima island.

Another man was found unconscious and floating face down about 120 kilometres northwest of the island. He was taken to hospital but was later declared dead.

Dubai-based Gulf Navigation Holdings said on Saturday it was praying for other survivors.

“Our hearts go out to those onboard and their families at this time.

“We also express deep regret for the sad loss of the livestock on board. We pray that there are other survivors.”

The company owns and operates a range of ships, including chemical tankers.

The vast majority of the ship’s 43-strong crew were from the Philippines, but there were also two New Zealanders and two Australians.

Find the right policy for you

Don’t wait until the week you fly to sign up for insurance – get it when you book your trip. Insurance covers you for cancellation and anything else that can go wrong before you leave.

Some insurers, such as World Nomads, allow you to book once you are travelling – but, as Mr Mohammed found out, pre-existing medical conditions are not covered.

Check your credit card before booking insurance to see if you have any travel insurance as a benefit – most UAE banks, such as Emirates NBD, First Abu Dhabi Bank and Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, have cards that throw in insurance as part of their package. But read the fine print – they may only cover emergencies while you’re travelling, not cancellation before a trip.

Pre-existing medical conditions such as a heart condition, diabetes, epilepsy and even asthma may not be included as standard. Again, check the terms, exclusions and limitations of any insurance carefully.

If you want trip cancellation or curtailment, baggage loss or delay covered, you may need a higher-grade plan, says Ambareen Musa of Souqalmal.com. Decide how much coverage you need for emergency medical expenses or personal liability. Premium insurance packages give up to $1 million (Dh3.7m) in each category, Ms Musa adds.

Don’t wait for days to call your insurer if you need to make a claim. You may be required to notify them within 72 hours. Gather together all receipts, emails and reports to prove that you paid for something, that you didn’t use it and that you did not get reimbursed.

Finally, consider optional extras you may need, says Sarah Pickford of Travel Counsellors, such as a winter sports holiday. Also ensure all individuals can travel independently on that cover, she adds. And remember: “Cheap isn’t necessarily best.”

From Zero

Artist: Linkin Park

Label: Warner Records

Number of tracks: 11

Rating: 4/5