Nippon Yusen Kaisha’s Sage Sagittarius, a 25-year-old post-panamax bulk carrier that made plenty of headlines a decade ago, has been sold for scrap in Bangladesh at a price of $430 per ldt,
The vessel was dubbed the death ship in Australian media more than a decade ago after three men died in mysterious circumstances in quick succession.
Head chef Cesar Llanto, 42, died on August 2012 after either being thrown overboard or killed on the ship and his body disposed of later by a person or persons unknown, New South Wales deputy state coroner ruled back in 2017.
He disappeared off the coast of Cairns and his body has never been found.
Chief engineer, Hector Collado, 55, died a fortnight later on September 14 , from multiple injuries he sustained after being struck over the head by some kind of weapon by a person or persons unknown as the ship entered Newcastle, the coroner said at the time.
Collado was then either thrown over the handrail outside the ship’s storeroom on the second deck or fell over the handrail to his death.
A third man, Kosaku Monji, 37, was crushed to death on a conveyor belt when the vessel was docked at the Japanese port of Kudamatsu on October 6.
The ship’s captain, Venancio Salas, was accused of gun running, punching crew, and trying to cover up incriminating evidence. It was alleged that the cook was looking to report Salas to the International Transport Worker’s Federation in Australia over his bullying attitude.
Salas admitted to punching crewmembers, big drinking sessions onboard and taking a commission for selling guns to crewmembers.
