Lifeless seafarer pulled from wreck of sunken freighter

In remembrance of those lost at sea. Photo: Shutterstock.

A second seafarer was yesterday found dead following the collision of two cargo ships in the early hours of Sunday morning.

So far, one crewman has been rescued, two remain missing and two have been found dead after the collision between two freighters in the eastern maritime waters of Japan.

Hopes had been high that a mariner would be rescued after Japan Coast Guard divers heard tapping noises from inside the wreck of the freighter Sensho Maru.

However, the body of Kazufumi Kamimura, a 60 year old officer, was yesterday pulled lifeless from the freighter Sensho Maru. The vessel sank in 30 meters of water not long after two a.m. in the morning on Sunday, May 26. There was a collision in foggy conditions between the Sensho Maru and the ship Sumiho Maru.

Graphic: Google Maps / Jim Wilson, FreightWaves

The collision took place in waters about 52 miles to the east of Tokyo. The Sensho Maru was carrying a cargo of 1,300 tons of steel. A metric ton is equivalent to 2,204.6 U.S. pounds. The Sensho Maru was traveling from Kashima Port to Sakai Port.

Second officer, Akira Yano, 72, was found dead on Sunday.

The 60 year old captain of the Sensho Maru, Hiraku Fujita, was rescued by a patrol ship.

Two crew members, both engineers, are still unaccounted for.

The other vessel, Sumiho Maru, suffered minor damage and the crew was not hurt.

A leakage of oil has been detected from the sunken vessel and measures have been taken to contain the slick. According to media reports, the vessel had about 50,000 liters (13,208 U.S. gallons) of fuel aboard.

Sensho Maru is 2011-built and Japan-flagged. It has a gross tonnage of 499 gross tons. Gross tonnage is a measure of space not weight; it refers to the entire enclosed volume of a ship. The Sumiho Maru is 2008-built, Japan-flagged and has 499 gross tons. The Japan Transport Safety Board is investigating the circumstances of the  fatal collision.

Upcoming FreightWaves Events
Compliance

Brokerage Compliance Symposium

The day before F3. Every compliance issue you face - fraud exposure, carrier liability, FMCSA rules, cargo theft, insurance gaps - navigated by attorneys and operators defining best practices in a changing industry.

October 26, 2026
The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN
Register Now
Awards

F3 Awards Dinner

The night before F3. FreightTech100 companies honored. FreightTech 25 and Shipper of Choice winners revealed live. Cocktail reception into dinner and live music - 300 industry leaders in one purpose-built room.

October 26, 2026
The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN
Register Now
FreightTech

F3: Future of Freight Festival

Industry-defining keynotes, rapid-fire technology demos, and industry leaders networking in experiences across Chattanooga - plus the inaugural F3 Awards Dinner featuring the FreightTech and Shipper of Choice reveals.

October 27, 2026 – October 28, 2026
The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN
Register Now
Compliance Brokerage Compliance Symposium Oct 26 • The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN

The day before F3. Every compliance issue you face - fraud exposure, carrier liability, FMCSA rules, cargo theft, insurance gaps - navigated by attorneys and operators defining best practices in a changing industry.

The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN Register Now
Awards F3 Awards Dinner Oct 26 • The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN

The night before F3. FreightTech100 companies honored. FreightTech 25 and Shipper of Choice winners revealed live. Cocktail reception into dinner and live music - 300 industry leaders in one purpose-built room.

The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN Register Now
FreightTech F3: Future of Freight Festival Oct 27 – Oct 28 • The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN

Industry-defining keynotes, rapid-fire technology demos, and industry leaders networking in experiences across Chattanooga - plus the inaugural F3 Awards Dinner featuring the FreightTech and Shipper of Choice reveals.

The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN Register Now