Yasuo Takamatsu, 65, of Japan, lost his wife, Yuko, in the tsunami that hit eastern Japan in 2011. 11 years later, she still dives every week in hopes of finding her lover’s body in Onagawa.
According to the Asahi Shimbun newspaper, he dives to a depth of 30 meters once a week, looking for clues as to the whereabouts of the woman he loves.
The tsunami occurred as a result of a 9.1 magnitude earthquake off the east coast of Japan on March 11, 2011. The height of the largest waves exceeded 10 meters, inundating an area of 561 square kilometers.
In an interview with the Associated Press in Onagawa in 2021, Takamatsu laid out his motivation to repeat dives in the area. After searching on land for two years, he got a diving license in 2013 and started his sailing career.
“It’s too soon for my family to give up. I will continue to look for clues about my wife,” he said.
Takamatsu and Yuko had known each other for 30 years after attending a wedding ceremony. In the interview, he said that he was impressed by the woman’s gentle smile and that they soon became friends, got married and had two children.
After retiring from the Japan Air Self-Defense Force in 2010, Yasuo stayed at his home in Onagawa and took Yuko to work at a bank every day.
On the day of the earthquake, a message came from Yuko on her cell phone. The text read, “Are you okay? I want to go home,” she said. Looking at her, Yasuo was relieved, believing that Yuko could escape to higher ground.
However, he did not appear again. The next day, an acquaintance said that he saw employees being dragged by the tsunami from the roof of the branch.
Since then, Yasuo has been calling his wife weekly, promising to continue as long as his body can still “move.”
Although her cell phone was recovered after the disaster, Yuko’s body remains undiscovered.
source: Noticias
