Coast Guard Finds Overturned Cargo Ship As Six Remain Missing Near Guam
The U.S. Coast Guard found the overturned 145-foot cargo ship Mariana near Guam as six crew members remain missing.
Coast Guard aircrews located the U.S.-registered dry cargo vessel Mariana overturned about 34 miles northeast of Pagan Island. The ship had reported engine trouble midweek and contacted the Coast Guard on April 15, with communication lost the afternoon of April 16. Officials say the capsized hull was found roughly 100 miles from the Mariana's last reported position and that six crew members are still missing.
Search operations were disrupted by Super Typhoon Sinlaku, which grounded aircraft and produced heavy winds and poor visibility before conditions improved Saturday morning. An HC-130 Hercules had to return to Guam due to the weather, and U.S. Coast Guard crews were joined by a U.S. Navy P-8A Poseidon and a Japan Coast Guard aircrew as searches resumed. Coast Guard officials in Honolulu said they are gathering information and that the nationalities of the six missing crew members have not been released. Separately, Sinlaku caused damage on nearby Tinian and Saipan and flash flooding in Guam, prompting FEMA Region 9 to ramp up its response as local shelter-in-place orders lifted.
Early reports focused on a disabled vessel and an active search after crews lost contact, noting the Mariana's starboard engine failure and initial distress calls. Later reporting confirmed the vessel was found capsized and added precise location details, the involvement of Navy and Japan Coast Guard aircrews, and clearer timelines for when communications were lost. The shift was driven by follow-up air searches and official statements, with the New York Times and NPR among outlets that published the updated findings.
đ Key Facts
- The U.S. Coast Guard located an overturned vessel that it says matches the description of the 145-foot U.S.-registered dry cargo ship Mariana.
- Six crew members remain missing; the nationalities of the missing crew have not been disclosed.
- The crew contacted the Coast Guard on April 15 reporting engine trouble â the Mariana lost its starboard engine â and communications were lost the afternoon/evening of April 16.
- Coast Guard aircrews found the overturned hull about 34 nautical miles northeast of Pagan Island and roughly 100 nautical miles northeast of the ship's last known position.
- A U.S. HC-130 Hercules aircraft was launched but had to return to Guam because of heavy winds; searches were set to resume at first light as conditions improved.
- U.S. Navy P-8A Poseidon crews and a Japan Coast Guard aircrew joined U.S. Coast Guard aircrews in continued search efforts, and Coast Guard officials in Honolulu are gathering information on the capsized ship.
- The incident occurred amid Super Typhoon Sinlaku, which caused damage on Tinian and Saipan and flash flooding in Guam; the storm earlier grounded aircraft and hampered search operations, and FEMA Region 9 is ramping up its response as shelter-in-place orders lift.
đ° Source Timeline (4)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- Confirms via Coast Guard statement that the capsized vessel matches the description of the U.S.-registered 145-foot dry cargo ship Mariana.
- Clarifies the overturned hull was spotted about 100 nautical miles northeast of the Mariana's last known position and 34 nautical miles northeast of Pagan Island.
- Details that Coast Guard officials in Honolulu are gathering information on the capsized ship and that the nationalities of the six missing crew members remain unknown.
- Coast Guard aircrews located the 145-foot U.S.-registered dry cargo vessel Mariana overturned about 34 miles northeast of Pagan Island, roughly 100 miles from its last reported position.
- Search conditions improved by Saturday morning after Super Typhoon Sinlaku had previously grounded aircraft due to strong winds and poor visibility.
- A U.S. Navy P-8A Poseidon crew and a Japan Coast Guard aircrew are joining U.S. Coast Guard aircrews in continued search efforts.
- The article clarifies the ship first reported engine failure Wednesday about 140 miles northwest of Saipan, with contact lost later that evening.
- Identifies the vessel as the 145-foot dry cargo ship 'Mariana' and notes it lost its starboard engine.
- Specifies that the crew contacted the Coast Guard on April 15 and that communications were lost the afternoon of April 16.
- Reports that an HC-130 Hercules aircraft was launched but had to return to Guam due to heavy winds, with searches to resume at first light.
- Notes Super Typhoon Sinlaku caused damage on Tinian and Saipan and flash flooding in Guam, and that FEMA Region 9 is ramping up its response as shelter-in-place orders lift.