Over $49,000 has been raised in just two days to help fund a private search for missing Southlander Lochie Bellerby and fellow Gulf Livestock 1 crew

A Givealitte page has been set up by friends and family of missing Kiwi man Lochie Bellerby, who along with 40 fellow crewmates, has been missing since September 2, when the cattle ship they were travelling on sank in the South China Sea.

The ship, Gulf Livestock 1, sent a distress call at 1.40 am on September 2, 180 kilometres off the coast of Japan after it was hit by Typhoon Maysak.

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The Givealittle page was set up after the search for the missing crew was recently called off by the Japanese coast guard. 

It has been over two weeks since the ship went down but family and friends of Mr Bellerby remain hopeful that there is still a chance he can be found. 

The page says Mr Bellerby and his crewmates are "believed to be aboard a lifeboat, missing outside the search area."

"Reports have emerged from the found survivors that all but three crew members were on the ship's bridge prior to the boat sinking and were preparing to board the life vessels. All life vessels hold 20-30 people and include enough food and water rations for 30 days."

"People have survived 41 days on a life raft in this very area before."

"Lochie is a legend, loved by many. He is extremely capable, adventurous and without a doubt possesses the character needed to not only get through this but to help pull others through."

The page says that throughout this, the New Zealand Government has "failed" to act to resume the search which the family and friends of Mr Bellerby have said was prematurely called off.

At the time of writing (3.20 pm on Friday, September 18) the Givealittle page has raised $49,440 in just two days, with a goal of $100,000. 

The funds raised will be pooled with that raised by the Australian Gofundme page 'Save the Forty of Gulf Livestock 1', which has raised AUD 84,671 of its AUD 300,000 goal, at the time of writing. 

Both the Givealittle and Gofundme pages say that all of the money raised will go directly towards funding ongoing search efforts such as satellite and drone surveillance technology, chartered search and rescue devices, media awareness campaigns and search incentives to bring all crew members home.

Mr Bellerby was one of two New Zealanders on board, along with Scott Harris and Australians William Mainprize and Lukas Orda and 39 Filipino crew.

So far, three crew members have been found, two alive and one dead. 

The ship had left New Zealand and was also carrying 5800 cows, bound for Tangshan, China.