One Crew Member Found Dead After Typhoon Flips U.S.-Flagged Cargo Ship Near Northern Marianas

One crew member has been found dead after a U.S.-flagged cargo ship overturned near the Northern Mariana Islands during Typhoon Sinlaku. The 145-foot U.S.-registered cargo ship Mariana lost contact April 16 after reporting engine trouble as Super Typhoon Sinlaku struck the Northern Mariana Islands. Meteorologists said Sinlaku had sustained winds near 150 mph when it hit the islands, producing extreme seas and complicating rescue efforts.

U.S. Air Force divers used an underwater remotely operated drone to search inside the overturned vessel and recovered one body from the ship's interior. Divers from the Japan Coast Guard also examined the hull but did not find additional crew members. U.S. Coast Guard aircrews continue searching for five missing crewmen and a 12-person life raft, with operations by partners from Guam, Japan and New Zealand. So far the multinational search has covered more than 99,000 square miles and investigators have reported debris, including a partially submerged inflatable raft, about 110 miles from the Mariana. Experts cautioned that the raft may not belong to the Mariana, leaving questions about survivability and the likely search area. Ports in the Northern Mariana Islands have reopened to commercial traffic and the Coast Guard has delivered water and supplies to affected communities.

Early reports focused on six crew members listed as missing after the vessel overturned, while recent updates have added confirmation of one fatality and forensic and operational details. ABC and PBS led the shift by reporting the use of an underwater drone, clarifying the engine failure timeline and noting storm intensity and doubts about distant debris. A CBS News post on Facebook amplified the confirmation of a recovered crew member, reflecting public concern as authorities continue a wide, difficult search.