Will Mainprize: Federal government ramps up efforts to help Avalon family find missing shipwreck man
The Mainprize family from Avalon has been encouraged by the federal government’s efforts to assist them to get Japanese authorities to find their son and brother.
Manly
Don't miss out on the headlines from Manly. Followed categories will be added to My News.
The Federal Government has ramped up efforts to help a northern beaches’ family desperate to have their brother and son found 12 days after the ship he was working on disappeared in a typhoon
Will Mainprize, 27, whose parents live at Avalon, is still lost at sea after the cargo ship capsized and sunk off the coast of Japan 12 days ago.
There had been reports that the Japanese coastguard had given up the search for survivors from the 39 crew aboard the Gulf Livestock 1 on Wednesday last week.
There were also reports that the Australian government was being urged by the Will’s family, and those close to other crew members, were not doing enough to urge the Japanese to so more.
A petition, with close to 50,000 signatures, has been circulating on the internet calling on authorities to do more to find survivors.
But Will’s father, Andrew Mainprize told the Manly Daily on Monday that Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) was helping the family.
Mr Mainprize said there was a misinterpretation, that he believed originated in New Zealand where the ship sailed from, about the Japanese rescue authorities not doing enough to find Will and other potential survivors.
It was reported last week that the Japanese coastguard had stropped searching for survivors, but Mr Mainprize said he had been assured that was not the case.
“It was a mistranslation, a miscommunication,” Mr Main prize said.
“(DFAT) has even confirmed the are ramping up their efforts.
“They are appointing a technical team so they can directly provide us with technical information about where the search is being conducted and how it’s being conducted.
“In fact, they’ve just appointed a new case worker to us, who is the most senior case worker within DFAT.”
Mr Mainprize said the family was encouraged by the federal government’s efforts.
“That’s pretty good news. We are into day 12 and you can’t be on those sorts of seas for too long.
“Having said that, Will is a very adventurous boy will all the skills and training you’d require. (Will worked as a wilderness tour guide in Tasmania and in the Northern Territory prior to the COVID-19 pandemic starting and getting a job as a stockman on the ship).
“I think he’d be relishing the opportunity to put those skills into practice.”
In a joint statement on Friday, Deputy prime minister Michael McCormack and Foreign Affairs Minister Marise Payne said Australia was engaging with Japanese authorities to assist in the search and rescue effort.
“Australia is encouraging Japan’s ongoing air and sea efforts, and continues to offer the Japanese authorities any supporting capability needed,” the statement said.
“Japan’s Coast Guard has assured Australia it will not give up its search for those missing.”
Mr Mainprize said he and his wife and their other three children still believed Will, who went to Mosman High School and lived at Newport for a period, would be found alive.
Two survivors have been rescued so far and the body of a third crew member was recovered.
The total crew included 39 people from the Philippines, two from New Zealand and two from Australia.
Mr Mainprize said the family was still urging anyone who had any expertise or information to contribute to contact the family or DFAT.
“Any expertise is going to be useful in these situations.”
Will’s sister Emily and her husband Emmanuel have just flown in from Paris to be with the family while awaiting news.