Gun-running, murder and foul play are among the claims raised as the mysterious ‘murder ship’ MV Sage Sagittarius stalks Australia’s coastline.

The bulk handling coal ship and its crew are the subjects of an inquest into several deaths in Australian waters.

The first day of hearings heard evidence of gun-running, homophobic bullying and other illegal activities.

The most serious of the claims involve three suspicious deaths on the ship starting in August 2012, when chief cook Cesar Llanto vanished overboard about 800km north of Cairns.

Two weeks later chief engineer Hector Collado, who had worked on ships for over 30 years, died after falling 11 metres while the ship was docked at Newcastle.

Three weeks after that, a Japanese supervisor died after he was pulled into conveyor machinery while the ship was in Japanese waters.

The Australian Federal Police has accused the captain of the ship, Venancio Salas Jr. of selling firearms to the crew.

In fact, some crew members said the captain “openly berated” crew members who refused to purchase weapons.

Crew members said they often bought the guns just to stay in the captain’s “good books”.

More public attention came on Monday this week, with local media reporting that a rescue helicopter landed on the coal carrier to transport a man in his thirties to John Hunter Hospital in Newcastle.

International Transport Federation Co-ordinator Dean Summers told reporters that the mysterious events should be properly investigated.

“We are getting some traction on getting the Senate’s attention on my request for an inquiry into the matter,” he said.

“After three deaths, there aren’t too many people who would want to be the fourth.

“There’s so much secrecy, there are so many unanswered questions, and the coronial inquest has just asked more questions, it hasn’t resolved very much, even though the captain has been on the stand for a number of hours.

“I think the coroner has done a very good job, under the circumstances, which are hindered in that there aren’t too many people who want to put their hand up to come and give evidence.

Summers said the case shows why low-cost international transport operators in particular should be subjected to strict review and regulation.

“I’m very happy that at least this has shone a light into darkest crevices of the Flag of Convenience system, but also that the community is becoming aware, so we can have a Senate inquiry into the high cost of cheap shipping,” he said.

“If the Australian coast is completely deregulated the only ships that will replace Australian ships in the cabotage run are Flag of Convenience ships.

“We need to know what that will mean for our environment, for our fuel security…and for our national security.”