'How can 40 people just vanish': Best friend of Australian on board livestock ship that disappeared off Japanese coast begs with Scott Morrison to continue the search

William Mainprize, from Sydney, was one of 43 crewmen and 6,000 on board the ship, the Gulf Livestock 1, when it was struck by a wild typhoon on Friday

The best mate of an Australian stockman who vanished when a livestock ship capsized off the coast of Japan has begged for Scott Morrison to help find his friend.

William Mainprize, from Sydney, was one of 43 crewmen on board the ship, the Gulf Livestock 1, when it was struck by a wild typhoon on Friday.

The vessel was carrying 6,000 animals. 

A desperate search was launched for the missing crew, which included two Australians and two New Zealanders, after the distress call was made.

But as the days pass without word, hope is beginning to fade. 

Japan's coast guard suspended its full-time search on Wednesday after failing to find any more survivors since rescuing a Filipino sailor on Friday. 

Mr Mainprize's friend Tom Suttorr has now made a desperate plea for the Australian Government  to offer assistance to keep the search going. 

Lukas Orda, 25, from the Gold Coast (pictured with his wife Emma) and Sydney man William Mainprize, 25, were identified as the two Australians on board Gulf Livestock on when it capsized and sank

'For me it is a truly surreal situation that 40 people can just vanish,' he wrote in a Facebook post.

'I believe the Australian government needs to take some responsibility and assist in the search. Or at least offer assistance.

'The only organisation that was looking for them was the Japanese coast guard, and they have announced they will stop today. Surely the Australian government can offer some resources to assist them.'

Mr Suttorr described his friend as a 'true gentleman' who is well respected in the shipping industry. 

'Will is renowned by all the ship crews as one of the kindest stockman and best blokes in Australia.'

The wife of Queensland vet Lukas Orda, who is also missing, pleaded on social media for her husband to 'come home'.

The captain of Gulf Livestock 1 sent a distress call to the Japanese Coast Guard at about 1.20am, the ships instruments showed the ship was sailing into high winds of 56 knots

Emma Orda, who gave birth to their first child in March, posted a photo of the pair with the message: 'Please come home really soon, we love you'. 

The vessel left New Zealand on August 14 and was due to arrive at the Port of Jingtang in Tangshan, China on Saturday.

As it headed across the East China Sea it began to flounder and the crew battled to keep it afloat. 

Footage emerged showing the panicked crew trying to stem the flow of water in the hours before it sank. 

Seawater inundated the interior of the vessel and was seen cascading over the electrics and machinery.  

Footage also emerged showing panicked crew trying to stem the flow of water in the hours before it sank

Shocking footage has emerged from inside the doomed Gulf Livestock one showing water flooding into the cabin area a day before the ship sank in the East China Sea on September 2

The first survivor, a Filipino crewman, was found floating in the East China Sea in a life jacket on the same night the ship was lost. 

Typhoon Maysak was blowing by southern Japan when the vessel sunk and its instruments showed that it was sailing into high winds of 56 knots.

The captain of Gulf Livestock 1 sent a distress call to the Japanese coast guard at about 1.20am on Wednesday.

Rescuers in an aircraft and four boats plus divers searched for survivors and found a bundle of orange rope and a life jacket with the ship's name on.

Then on Friday they found a body and multiple dead cows in the waters near where the ship sank.   

The Japanese Coast Guard resumed the search on Monday after having to suspend operations for 48-hours due to heavy winds from a second storm, Typhoon Haishen. 

Tom Sutton's full post about his missing friend:

I havent really spoken out over the last week as I dont have much to say on the actual incident.

Seeing this post made realise that people need an insight into how much respect the Shipping world has for Will. A true gentleman. Will is renowned by all the ship crews as one of the kindest stockman and best blokes in Australia. Always respectful for his fellow seafarers, and lives with them like family.

Our best mate is currently missing off the Japanese coast for a week now. It is so so hard for me to comprehend that this can happen in 2020. For me it is a truly surreal situation that 40 people can just vanish.

I believe the Australian government needs to take some responsibility and assist in the search. Or at least offer assistance.

The only organisation that was looking for them was the Japanese coast guard, and they have announced they will stop today. Surely the Australian government can offer some resources to assist them.

To all the family's of the crew, please stay strong. We will get answers about what has happened to them. And hopefully some good news.

It would be great to get a response from the government about their lack of action and if it is possible for them to allocate some resources.

Please share this and help me put some pressure on Aus gov.

Help me find my mate.