Earlier on Monday, the Kyodo news agency reported that the captain’s mate was detained on suspicion of violations during the performance of his official duties, which resulted in the death of a person, as well as violations in the process of maneuvering a vessel.
"The third mate of the Russian ship Amur has been detained. Then there are three days for an official investigation. He is now being detained on suspicion of not taking the necessary action to avoid a collision. The charge should be brought in 72 hours," Marin told Sputnik on Monday.
The Russian Amur vessel with 23 people on board was transporting seafood to Monbetsu from Sakhalin in Russia’s Far East when it struck a Japanese fishing boat, Hokko Maru No. 8, carrying 5 people. The boast collided off Hokkaido on May 26. The crew from the Japanese ship were rescued by the Amur crew, but three were unconscious and later confirmed dead.
At the end of May, Russian Consul General in Sapporo Sergey Marin told Sputnik that the captain of the Amur had officially asked the Consulate-General of the Russian Federation in Sapporo for assistance.
Marin said that there was no information confirming that Amur violated any international agreements on safe navigation or rules for the divergence of vessels at sea, noting that evidence points to a disregard of some of these rules by Japanese fishermen. Later, Marin told Sputnik that the ship's captain was being pressured into admitting guilt.