A cargo ship’s communications were lost in a stormy Japan sea, prompting a search for 17 crew members. It was confirmed that the 17 crew of the HOUEI CRYSTAL were rescued, with one crew member being washed overboard by a wave before the ship was discovered in a dangerous scenario.
In the evening of December 1, a Panama-flagged cargo ship transmitted a distress call in the Japan Stormy Sea, some 250 nautical miles south of Nakhodka, Russia, reporting sinking and 18 Vietnamese crew members boarding a lifeboat.
All communication with the ship was lost after that. Russian cargo ships in the vicinity were searching for a lifeboat in the midst of heavy storms and, most likely, icing.
The ship’s identity was not revealed, but based on available information, it is most likely the general cargo ship HOUEI CRYSTAL, which left Nakhodka on November 30 and was last seen on AIS at 0700 UTC on December 1.
| IMO | 9519559 |
| Name | HOUEI CRYSTAL |
| Vessel Type – Generic | Cargo |
| Vessel Type – Detailed | General Cargo |
| Status | Active |
| MMSI | 354869000 |
| Call Sign | 3FUQ4 |
| Flag | Panama [PA] |
| Gross Tonnage | 5762 t |
| Summer DWT | 8776 t |
| Length Overall x Breadth Extreme | 115.48 x 19.6 m |
| Year Built | 2009 |
