Search for missing Gulf Livestock 1 crew ends

The search off southern Japan for the missing crew from the Gulf Livestock 1 has been called off.

The converted livestock carrier was carrying 43 crew members and more than 5,800 cows when it lost power in a typhoon, capsized and sank eight days ago.

Three people were found, two were alive but one man was unconscious and later died.

Footage of water rushing into the ship before it sunk was filmed by one of the two Australians onboard (see below).

UAE-based Gulf Navigation has another two livestock carriers in its fleet – one built in 1973 and converted 10 years later, and another built 35 years ago and converted in 2014.

The Gulf Livestock 1 started its trading career as a 630 teu containership in 2002 before being converted to carry animals 10 years later. The sunken ship had a chequered past. European shipping database Equasis lists 25 port state control deficiencies in 2019 and 2020 alone, including a number relating to the main engine. In July last year the ship drifted for a day undergoing repairs following an engine failure.