Detained skipper misses grandma's funeral
The family of the trawler captain detained by Japan held a funeral service yesterday for his grandmother, who died a day after he was arrested.
Zhan Qixiong's family said they were very upset that he was still being held by the Japanese government and could not attend the funeral.
'His mother has cried so much that she's almost gone blind,' a relative said. 'If Zhan doesn't come back, he might also lose his mother. We are all very worried about whether Zhan can return home. He has done nothing wrong, we have been fishing in that area for a long time.'
Zhan, 41, was detained after his trawler collided with two Japanese patrol boats in waters off the Diaoyu Islands in the East China Sea on Tuesday last week. The Japanese government is considering whether to prosecute him under Japanese laws.
State media reported that Zhan's grandmother, 85, died on September 8, a day after Zhan was arrested.
'She passed away so suddenly' Zhan's sister-in-law, Zheng Feng , told China News Service. 'She had recovered from injuries sustained in a fall on September 3, but after hearing what happened to Zhan she soon died.'
The funeral was held in Jinjiang , Fujian , Zhan's hometown, where by tradition the eldest grandson is required to play a key role in the ceremony. Zhan's 13-year-old son took over his father's role in his absence.
