A ship carrying 43 crew and nearly 6,000 cattle from New Zealand to China has capsized after losing an engine in stormy weather in the East China Sea, the only crew member rescued so far told the Japan Coast Guard (JCG) Thursday.

The Gulf Livestock 1 sent a distress call from west of Amami Oshima island Wednesday as Typhoon Maysak headed through the region towards the Korean peninsula, bringing strong winds, heavy seas and drenching rains.

The JCG said it had rescued one crew member, Sareno Edvarodo, a 45-year-old chief officer from the Philippines, on Wednesday night while searching for the ship.