Man Whose Wife Was Lost In Tsunami Spent More Than A Decade Diving Every Week In Hopes Of Finding Her Remains

A man has dedicated over a decade to searching for his wife, who is presumed to have perished in the devastating Japanese tsunami of 2011.

Yasuo Takamatsu has been tirelessly searching for the remains of his wife, Yuko, ever since she was swept away by the tsunami, hoping to finally lay her to rest.

His quest began following the catastrophic tsunami that struck Fukushima and the surrounding regions in Japan.

Since then, Takamatsu has committed to diving every week for more than ten years, hoping each time that he might find her remains.

Fukushima was devastated by the tsunami in March 2011. Aeon

The tsunami, which occurred on March 11, 2011, registered a staggering 9.1 magnitude.

It ranks as the most severe tsunami to have hit Japan and the fourth most devastating in recorded human history.

This tragic event left around 450,000 people without homes and resulted in the deaths of 18,000 individuals.

To this day, over 2,500 people remain unaccounted for, their bodies never recovered.

Takamatsu's wife, Yuko, was among those lost to the waves while she was at her job in a bank.

Since 2011 Takamatsu has been searching for his wife Yuko, and he began diving in 2013. Aeon

At the time of the tsunami, Takamatsu was with his mother-in-law at a hospital in a neighboring town.

After the disaster, he was not allowed to return to the ravaged town.

Several months later, he discovered his wife’s phone in the parking lot of the bank where she worked.

Unfortunately, that was the last personal item of hers he found.

The phone held a final message from Yuko to her husband, along with another message that she didn't get to send.

Takamatsu's wife Yuko Aeon

Her last sent message said, "Are you okay? I want to go home." 

The unsent message showed her trying to describe the tsunami's impact: "The tsunami is disastrous."

Despite numerous searches, little else has been found that could lead to Yuko, but Takamatsu remains hopeful.

After searching on land for two and a half years, Takamatsu, who was 56 at the time, began diving lessons in September 2013.

Although learning to dive was challenging, his love and longing to find his wife have kept him motivated.

Takamatsu worries that the "ocean is way too vast" and he may never find her. Aeon

In an interview for the short film 'The Diver', Takamatsu shared his feelings:

"I do want to find her, but I also feel that she may never be discovered as the ocean is way too vast - but I have to keep looking."

He is not alone in his search; he dives with the assistance of a diving instructor, Masayoshi Takahashi.

Takahashi, who organizes volunteer dives to search for victims of the tsunami still missing, has been a constant support to Takamatsu in his ongoing quest to find his wife.