U.S. Coast Guard Suspends Search for Missing Crew of Capsized Cargo Ship
The Coast Guard reports that after a diligent search failed to find any additional information, it has suspended its search for?the missing crew members?of?the?cargo vessel Mariana. It expressed its condolences to the families and the community but said the efforts had been exhausted.
Search efforts began after Coast Guard Joint Rescue Coordination Center Honolulu watchstanders lost communications with the Mariana on April 15. The ship had reported engine troubles and asked for assistance, but remained in contact with the USCG station for several more hours. The vessel was approximately 125 to 140 miles north-northwest of Saipan when contact was lost. It was a 145-foot U.S.-flagged offshore supply vessel used to move cargo between Guam, Tinian, and Saipan
Contact was lost as Super Typhoon Sinlaku battered the Pacific island chain. The region was lashed for about 48 hours with sustained winds of 125 to 150 mph. There were widespread reports of flooding and damage on Saipan.
“We are deeply saddened to announce that despite widespread efforts, we have made the difficult decision to suspend our active search for the missing crew members,” said Cmdr. Preston Hieb, search and rescue mission coordinator, Coast Guard Oceania District. “We are grateful for the efforts of our international and U.S. military partners during the search, as well as the resilience and support demonstrated by the CNMI community.”
In total, Coast Guard crews and involved partners searched for more than 100 hours,?covering?over 135,000 square nautical miles, an area?larger than the?size of California. In addition to the ship, they located debris, including a partially inflated raft that was partially submerged.
USCG search team scouring the coastline after the typhoon
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They had attempted to reach the area of the vessel’s last known location the following day, April 16, but said the winds were too strong and forced their airplane to abandon the effort. Crews, however, spotted an overturned vessel on Saturday, April 18, in a position about 34 nautical miles northeast of Pagan, an island in the central region of the Northern Mariana Islands. The capsized vessel was approximately 100 nautical miles from the last known location of the Mariana.
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Rescue teams and divers confirmed the identity of the vessel. For more than a week, the teams continued to search, looking for a missing lifeboat or any signs of the crew. Divers using ROVs searching the vessel recovered the body of one of the six individuals. The decision was made to suspend the search as of 10:35 p.m. Tuesday, April 28. The U.S. Navy, the Japan Coast Guard, and the Royal New Zealand Air Force also took part in the search.
The Coast Guard’s statement identified the six crew members aboard the Mariana at the time of the incident as Frederick L. Nosek Jr., Landon Delos Reyes, Jose L. Ramirez, Mohammed A. Rahaman, Chet R. Brochon, and Vincent B. Agulto.
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