JOINT STATEMENT BY DR HIROSHI HATANAKA, DIRECTOR GENERAL OF ICR AND MR. KAZUO YAMAMURA, PRESIDENT OF KYODO SENPAKU

17 February 2007 (p.m.)

“Today, the crew of the Nisshin Maru were able to search the area of the vessel that caught fire. It is with great sadness they have reported finding the body of sailor Kazutaka Makita, who succumbed to the effects of the fire.

“He was located at 08:20 am (local time) on the second deck close to where the fire began and quickly spread throughout that area.

“Mr Makita, 27, was from Kagoshima Prefecture, south of Kyushu Island. He has played an important role aboard Nisshin Maru.

“This is deeply saddening. The Institute of Cetacean Research and Kyodo Senpaku express their heartfelt sympathy to Mr Makita’s family,” Dr Hatanaka and Mr. Yamamura said.

ENDS

UPDATE 4: NISSHIN MARU FIRE
UPDATE 4: NISSHIN MARU FIRE (PDF Data)