Search resumption urged for Hobart resident Will Mainprize and others missing after ship capsized

Friends and family of Will Mainprize, who was on board a live export ship feared sunk off Japan’s south west, are demanding authorities resume the search for survivors.

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FRIENDS and family of a Tasmania resident, who was on board a live export ship feared to have sunk off Japan’s south west, are urging authorities to resume the search for survivors.

Will Mainprize, 27, who moved to Tasmania from NSW in 2017, is one of two Australians missing after the Gulf Livestock 1 capsized and sank amid a powerful typhoon last week.

Authorities called off the search for survivors on Tuesday, with 40 people unaccounted for.

While thanking authorities for their search efforts, the Mainprize family expressed regret at the decision to suspend the full-time search.

“We are so thankful to those organisations and the Australian public for their thoughts and prayers but we need more help,” a family spokesman said.

Will Mainprize during one of his guided tours in Tasmania

“Will is incredibly passionate about the environment, social justice and animal and

human rights. He is the kindest and most generous person and it would be a tragedy if he was not able to continue contributing positively to the world.”

Tasmanian woman Sophie Buchinger, who became friends with Will while he was studying in Bathurst, described the 27-year-old as “an adventurer who was up for anything”.

“I know in this situation, he would be doing all he could be to try and get home safely,” she said.

Friends and family of Will have launched a change.org petition calling on the search to resume, with more than 3700 signatures gathered.

Will’s close friend Tom Suttor said too many questions were left unanswered for the search to be called off.

“We want people to turn this into active search. We urge people to use the hashtag #findmymate, and to ring parliamentarians. We want to put a bit of pressure on our government to allocate resources to the Japanese coast guard to resume the search,” Mr Suttor said.

To sign the petition, head to Change.org.