March 4, 2008
The Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology
Research on Collision between MSDF DDG ATAGO and a fish boat SEITOKU MARU
-Objects found during the search operation
by the Research Vessel NATSUSHIMA-
The Remotely Operated Vehicle HYPER-DOLPHIN spotted five more manmade objects (a total of twenty objects were found since the research started) during the research on the collision between MSDF DDG ATAGO and a fish boat SEITOKU MARU being carried out by the Research Vessel NATSUSHIMA belongs to the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC; Mr. Yasuhiro Kato, President).
About objects
Photograph 1
- (1) Location :
- North Latitude 34.31, East Longitude 139.49, Water depth 1,837m
(Please refer to Fig.1) - (2) Photographed date and time :
- 08:25 March 4, 2008
Photograph 2, 3
- (1) Location :
- North Latitude 34.31, East Longitude 139.49, Water depth 1,837m
- (2) Photographed date and time :
- 08:30 March 4, 2008
Photograph 4, 5
- (1) Location :
- North Latitude 34.31, East Longitude 139.49, Water depth 1,836m
- (2) Photographed date and time :
- 09:09 March 4, 2008
Photograph 6
- (1) Location :
- North Latitude 34.31, East Longitude 139.49, Water depth 1,834m
- (2) Photographed date and time :
- 09:47 March 4, 2008
Photograph 7, 8
- (1) Location :
- North Latitude 34.31, East Longitude 139.49, Water depth 1,833m
- (2) Photographed date and time :
- 10:03 March 4, 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, the Japan Coast Guard and the Ministry of Defense. Currently, we have not informed if the Japan Coast Guard makes any decision about relation between the found objects and the accident.
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
Dimension: approximately 30cm long x 30cm wide x 15cm high
(North Latitude: 34.31 East Longitude:139.49 Water Depth 1,837m )
- Photograph 2.3:
- Image of on-board display screen taken by a digital camera
Right: captured the object from behind
Dimension: approximately 25cm long x 35cm wide x 15cm high
(North Latitude: 34.31 East Longitude:139.49 Water Depth 1,837m )
- Photograph 4.5:
- Image of on-board display screen taken by a digital camera
Right: captured the object from front side
Manipulator of HYPER DOLPHIN is left side of both photographs.
Dimension: approximately 10cm long x 20cm wide x 5cm high
(North Latitude: 34.31 East Longitude:139.49 Water Depth 1,836m)
- Photograph 6:
- Image of on-board display screen taken by a digital camera
Front: manipulator of HYPER DOLPHIN
Dimension: approximately 15cm long x 20cm wide x 7cm high
(North Latitude: 34.31 East Longitude:139.49 Water Depth 1,834m)
- Photograph 7,8:
- Image of on-board display screen taken by a digital camera
Right: upper left side of the object in the left photograph
Dimension: approximately 1.2m x 1.2m x 1m
(North Latitude: 34.31 East Longitude:139.49 Water Depth 1,833m)
Contacts:
-
Shinji Oshima, email: press@jamstec.go.jp
Manager, Planning Department Press Office
The Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology
