Search Underway for Crew of Capsized Cargo Ship near Northern Mariana Islands
HAGATANIA, Guam — On Monday, search teams from various nations combed the Pacific Ocean close to the Northern Mariana Islands, looking for six crew members of a cargo ship that tipped over during a recent typhoon.
According to the U.S. Air Force’s 31st Rescue Squadron, the overturned vessel was located on Saturday. The U.S. Coast Guard identified it as the cargo ship Mariana. In response, they dispatched divers and boats to the site.
“If the divers find a suitable access point, underwater drones may be deployed to investigate the vessel further,” the Coast Guard indicated in a statement.
Security officials reported that wreckage, including a partially submerged inflatable life raft, was discovered approximately 110 miles (177 kilometers) northeast of where the ship capsized.
Search efforts for the missing crew members continued, although their nationalities have not been disclosed. Various air crews from Guam, Japan, and New Zealand have already searched over 99,000 square miles (256,000 square kilometers) in pursuit of the missing individuals.
The U.S.-registered 145-foot (44-meter) cargo ship Mariana experienced engine failure last Wednesday as Typhoon Shinraku approached the archipelago, which is home to around 50,000 residents.
Originally, the Coast Guard had planned to establish contact with the ship after its crew reported losing the starboard engine and calling for help. However, communication was lost on Thursday.
An HC-130 plane was deployed for search operations that morning but had to return to Guam due to unfavorable weather conditions.
The last known position of the Mariana was roughly 140 miles (225 km) north-northwest of Saipan, the capital of the Northern Mariana Islands, and about 3,800 miles (6,115 km) west of Hawaii.
Typhoon Shinraku caused significant flooding in Saipan, with reports of roofs being torn off and cars overturned. Officials noted that the islands faced about 48 hours of strong winds, which slowed down initial damage assessments and community assistance efforts.
