Cargo vessel capsizes: Mumbai sailor yet to be found, Sushma Swaraj promises to intervene

Of the 26 Indians on board, 16 have been rescued. The search operations by the Japanese Coast Guard were to be called off on Monday.

With no trace of Captain Rajesh Nair, a Virar resident, even 48 hours after a cargo vessel, Emerald Star, sank 280km off Philippines coast on Friday evening, external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj on Sunday promised to request the Japanese coast guard to continue the search mission.

Captain Nair with his family. (HT)

Of the 26 Indians on board, 16 have been rescued. The search operations by the Japanese Coast Guard were to be called off on Monday.

“Swaraj promised Nair’s wife Reshmi that search operations will continue even after October 16,” said Krishna Nair, the captain’s relative. “We are yet to get any updates on the rescue operation from the Coast Guard and the Chennai-based shipping firm, Admiral Marine Services. We want the Indian Navy to help the Japanese Coast Guard in the search. We want to know where the 16 rescued crew members have been put up so we can ask them about Captain Nair.”

Reshmi works as a traffic inspector with the WR in Churchgate and the couple has two children – Vedant, 8, and Ishita, 3.

The wife of Suresh Kumar, among the rescued, said they have been informed that Kumar was rescued by a passing ship from Turkey.