The U.S. Coast Guard has reported spotting an overturned vessel near Saipan during an ongoing search for a missing cargo ship carrying six الأشخاص, raising concerns about the fate of those on board.
According to officials, an HC-130 Hercules aircraft crew identified the capsized vessel early Saturday დაახლოებით 100 nautical miles northeast of the cargo ship’s last known position. The sighting occurred roughly 34 nautical miles northeast of Pagan, a remote island north of Saipan in the western Pacific Ocean.
Authorities said the overturned ship matches the description of the Mariana, a 145-foot U.S.-registered dry cargo vessel that went missing earlier in the week. However, officials have not yet confirmed whether the vessel spotted is definitively the Mariana.
The Mariana reportedly suffered engine failure on Wednesday as Typhoon Sinlaku battered Saipan and surrounding islands with powerful winds and heavy rainfall. The crew had reported losing its starboard engine and requested assistance, prompting the Coast Guard to establish scheduled hourly communications.
Contact with the vessel was lost on Thursday after worsening weather conditions forced a search aircraft to return to Guam. The ship’s last known location was about 140 miles north-northwest of Saipan, a U.S. territory located approximately 3,800 miles west of Hawaii.
Search efforts have since intensified, involving a coordinated multinational response. Teams participating in the operation include a U.S. Navy Boeing P-8A Poseidon crew, a Coast Guard cutter, and support from the Japanese coast guard, including an aircrew and a specialized dive team.
Officials in Honolulu continue to gather information as the search progresses, though the nationalities of the missing crew members have not yet been disclosed.
Typhoon Sinlaku has caused widespread destruction across Saipan, triggering flooding, damaging infrastructure, and overturning vehicles. The storm’s prolonged impact, with nearly 48 hours of intense winds, has significantly delayed emergency response efforts and damage assessments.