Weapons in sunken ship include rocket guns: coast guard

Japan Policy & Politics, May 20, 2002

KAGOSHIMA, Japan, May 13 Kyodo

(EDS: ADDING DETAILS ON SCHEDULE OF RAISING SHIP)

Weapons recently found near an unidentified vessel that sank in the East China Sea late last year after a shoot-out with Japanese patrol boats include rocket guns and a machine gun, the Japan Coast Guard said Monday.

Two unloaded rocket guns, an automatic rifle, and a machine gun are among the weapons recovered in the underwater probe of the vessel, suspected by Japan to be a North Korean spy ship, coast guard officials said.

In addition to this, the officials said they have also recovered several cartridge belts, holders and bullets, as well as a vinyl sheet and a helmet. There were about 30 items recovered in the search.

The underwater search of the ship was conducted from May 1 to 8. The sunken vessel lies at a depth of 90 meters about 390 kilometers off the island of Amami-Oshima in Kagoshima Prefecture, southwestern Japan.

The probe also discovered two badly decomposed corpses, believed to be crew members of the sunken ship, which were brought to the surface and taken for autopsies.

Coast guard officials said they believe raising the ship is largely possible, from a technical standpoint.

They said launching salvage operations within this month would be ''difficult,'' as the probe, which was initially scheduled for late last month, was postponed, but are hoping to begin operations to raise the ship by the end of next month.

On the two bodies, the officials said autopsies -- two separate ones performed by two universities -- failed to determine the causes of deaths, but cited drowning as a possibility.

Doctors from Kagoshima University autopsying one corpse said drowning may have been the cause of death. The body was that of a person aged somewhere between 20s and 40s who stood 161 centimeters tall.

On the other body, Kumamoto University said the person was aged between 25 and 35 who stood 167 cm tall. Drowning was inferred to be the cause of death.

Two other bodies were recovered from waters around the ship after it sank Dec. 22 in China's exclusive economic zone following a shoot-out with Japanese patrol vessels. Japan believes the vessel had a crew of about 15.

The Japanese government believes the unidentified ship was from North Korea and was engaged in spying or drug-running. North Korea has denied the allegations.

In a news conference Monday, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda told a news conference Monday that raising the ship ''will take some time.''

The top government spokesman said the government will try to expedite the salvage operation in light of considerations such as the impending typhoon season.

Fukuda added the government is also searching for clues as to the ship's identity.