Posted on: Monday, November 19, 2001

Japanese cook still missing

By Karen Blakeman
Advertiser Staff Writer

A U.S. Coast Guard C-130 searched without success yesterday for a cook believed to have fallen overboard from a Japanese fishing vessel near Midway.

The search has been suspended, officials said yesterday.

The Japanese coast guard requested the C-130's assistance Friday, said U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer Lauren Smith. Japanese fishing vessels had been searching for 11 hours before U.S. assistance was requested.

The C-130 took off from Kalaeloa just before 6 p.m. Friday and began the air search Saturday at about 5 a.m., Smith said.

Seven Japanese fishing vessels also searched for the missing cook, a 59-year-old man who had worked aboard the Syoun Maru No. 151, a 144-foot fishing vessel.

Smith said the man was not wearing a life jacket when he went overboard.

She said that after searching unsuccessfully Saturday and yesterday, the C-130 was returning to Kalaeloa.