Press Releases


March 3, 2008
The Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology

Research on Collision between MSDF DDG ATAGO and a fish boat SEITOKU MARU
-Object retrieved during the search operation
by the Research Vessel NATSUSHIMA- (2)

During the ongoing research by the Research Vessel NATSUSHIMA on the collision between MSDF DDG ATAGO and a fish boat SEITOKU MARU, two objects which were spotted and press released on February 26 and March 2, 2008, have been retrieved by the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC; Mr. Yasuhiro Kato, President) under the direction of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) at the request of the Ministry of Defense.

About objects

Photograph 1

(1) Location :
North Latitude 34.31, East Longitude 139.49 Water depth: 1,826m
(Please refer to Fig.1)
(2) Photographed date and time:
17:14 March 3, 2008

Photograph 2

(1) Location :
North Latitude 34.31, East Longitude 139.49 Water depth: 1,840m
(2) Photographed date and time:
17:14 March 3, 2008

JAMSTEC provided the information immediately to the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) and we heard that the MEXT provided the information to the Crisis Center in the Prime Minister’s Office and the Japan Coast Guard.

Fig.1 Research Area
: location of the object spotted and filmed
: research area

Photograph 1: Image of on-board display screen taken by a digital camera
(North Latitude: 34.31 East Longitude:139.49 Water Depth 1,844m )

Photograph 2: Image of on-board display screen taken by a digital camera
(North Latitude: 34.31 East Longitude:139.49 Water Depth 1,842m )

Contacts:

Shinji Oshima, email: press@jamstec.go.jp
Manager, Planning Department Press Office
The Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology