A U.S. Coast Guard aircrew on Saturday morning located an overturned vessel approximately 34 nautical miles northeast of Pagan. This discovery occurred during the ongoing search for the U.S.-registered cargo ship Mariana, which lost contact with authorities on April 16 after reporting a disabled starboard engine. The found hull is situated roughly 100 nautical miles northeast of the last known position of the Mariana.
The sighting of the overturned vessel represents a significant, albeit grim, development in the effort to locate the missing Mariana and its six crew members. The U.S. Coast Guard, in conjunction with crews from the U.S. Navy and Japan Coast Guard, is continuing search operations. A formal statement from Coast Guard Oceania District is anticipated.
Petty Officer 3rd Class Avery Tibbets confirmed that the Mariana, a 145-foot dry cargo vessel, communicated its engine trouble on April 15. The last reported location of the ship was about 140 miles north-northwest of Saipan.
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Background
The search for the Mariana intensified following the passage of Typhoon Sinlaku. Commander Jessica Worst of Coast Guard Forces Micronesia/Sector Guam stated the operation aims to "restore maritime commerce and support communities impacted." The precise circumstances surrounding the loss of contact and the subsequent discovery of the overturned hull remain under investigation.
