US Coast Guard Spots Overturned Mariana Cargo Ship Near Saipan During Search for Six Crew

The U.S. Coast Guard said an airplane search crew spotted an overturned vessel matching the description of the cargo ship Mariana near the U.S. territory of Saipan, but authorities were not able to confirm whether it was the one that was lost.

“✕ Home News Analysis Agro-Forestry Art & Culture Technology Economy & Business Education Energy & Extractives Politics Law & Governance Health Science & Environment Social & Gender Sports Transport Urban Development WASH Research LogIn/SignUp Close the sidebar Mystery at Sea: Overturned Ship Spotted Near Saipan An overturned ship matching a missing cargo vessel's description was spotted near Saipan”

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NPR reported that the HC-130 Hercules crew saw the vessel early in the day about 100 nautical miles (185 kilometers) northeast of the Mariana’s last known position.

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NPR added that the sighting was about 34 nautical miles (63 kilometers) northeast of Pagan, a small island north of Saipan in the western Pacific Ocean.

The Coast Guard said in a statement that it confirmed the overturned ship matched the description of the Mariana, a 145-foot (44-meter) dry cargo vessel registered in the U.S., according to NPR.

The New York Times similarly said the Coast Guard was continuing its search for six crew members after the ship was found overturned northwest of the Northern Mariana Islands in the Pacific.

The Times reported that the ship’s crew first reported engine failure on Wednesday afternoon when the vessel, the Mariana, was about 140 miles northwest of Saipan, and that transmissions stopped that evening.

By Saturday morning, the Times said conditions had improved enough to resume the search, and it described the overturned ship as found about 34 miles northeast of Pagan Island, roughly 100 miles from its last reported position.

The incident began after the Mariana suffered engine failure as Typhoon Sinlaku bore down on Saipan and nearby islands with fierce winds and relentless rain, according to NPR.

NPR said the Mariana suffered engine failure Wednesday and that after the crew reported that the boat had lost its starboard engine and needed assistance, the Coast Guard set up a one-hour communication schedule with the vessel.

KTVU

NPR reported that contact was lost Thursday, and that a HC-130 plane launched that morning to conduct a search but returned to Guam due to heavy winds.

The New York Times described the same sequence, saying the crew first reported engine failure on Wednesday afternoon when the vessel was about 140 miles northwest of Saipan and that crew members remained in contact with authorities for several hours before transmissions stopped that evening.

The New York Times also said a plane dispatched on Thursday turned back because of poor weather, with strong winds from the super typhoon limiting visibility and flight operations, according to the Coast Guard.

Marine Insight added that the 145-foot dry cargo vessel reported a disabled starboard engine while operating about 140 nautical miles north-northwest of Saipan, and that six people were on board at the time.

Marine Insight further stated that watchstanders at the Joint Rescue Coordination Center Honolulu established hourly communication with the vessel through its manager, and that contact with the vessel was lost later the same day.

The Week, citing AP, placed the Mariana’s last known position at about 225 kilometres north-northwest of Saipan and said the storm’s large size meant the island endured roughly 48 hours of fierce winds, delaying responders’ ability to assess damage and help communities.

As the search unfolded, multiple air and sea assets were scheduled or deployed, and communications with the Mariana were described in detail.

NPR said Coast Guard officials in Honolulu were gathering information on the capsized ship, and it listed a U.S. Navy Boeing P-8A Poseidon crew, a Coast Guard cutter, and a Japanese coast guard aircrew and vessel equipped with a specialized dive team as taking part in the search.

KTVU reported that an overturned ship matching the description of the one that went missing along with six crew members earlier this week has been located, and it said the HC-130 Hercules crew found the vessel about 100 nautical miles northeast of the last known location of the Mariana.

KTVU also said the Coast Guard indicated the ship discovered by the HC-130 Hercules crew was similar to the Mariana, but it was still gathering information about it, and that the agency did not know the nationalities of the missing crew members.

Marine Insight described the communications process as watchstanders at the Joint Rescue Coordination Center Honolulu establishing hourly communication with the vessel through its manager after the distress report.

Marine Insight said the ship’s AIS signal was last recorded on Wednesday afternoon, placing it in open waters northwest of Saipan, and that a HC-130 aircraft launched on Thursday was forced to return to Guam due to strong winds in the search area.

The New York Times said U.S. Coast Guard aircrews, a U.S. Navy Boeing P-8A Poseidon crew, and a Japan Coast Guard aircrew were slated to fly in support of continued search efforts.

The Week, citing AP, described the same multi-agency approach by saying a U.S. Navy Boeing P-8A Poseidon crew; a Coast Guard cutter; and a Japanese coast guard aircrew and vessel equipped with a specialised dive team were to take part in the search.

While the core facts of a missing U.S.-registered dry cargo vessel and a typhoon-driven search were consistent, the outlets diverged on specific distances and on how certain authorities were about the overturned ship’s identity.

NPR said the HC-130 Hercules crew saw the vessel about 100 nautical miles (185 kilometers) northeast of the Mariana’s last known position and that it was 34 nautical miles (63 kilometers) northeast of Pagan, while The Week, citing AP, described the Mariana’s last known position as about 225 kilometres north-northwest of Saipan and said Saipan endured roughly 48 hours of fierce winds.

The New York Times

The New York Times said the crew first reported engine failure when the vessel was about 140 miles northwest of Saipan and that the overturned ship was found about 34 miles northeast of Pagan Island, roughly 100 miles from its last reported position.

Marine Insight said the disabled starboard engine was reported while operating about 140 nautical miles north-northwest of Saipan, and it stated that the overturned vessel was sighted about 34 nautical miles northeast of Pagan.

KTVU reported that the Coast Guard reported the overturned ship matching the description of the one that went missing along with six crew members earlier this week has been located, but it simultaneously said the Coast Guard indicated the ship discovered by the HC-130 Hercules crew was similar to the Mariana and that it was still gathering information about it.

NPR likewise said authorities were not able to confirm whether it was the one that was lost, even as the Coast Guard said in a statement that it confirmed the overturned ship matched the description of the Mariana.

The Week, citing AP, described the Coast Guard as saying the overturned ship matched the description of the Mariana, a 44-metre dry cargo vessel registered in the U.S.

These differences show how the same search can be framed with varying emphasis on exact geography and on the degree of confirmation.

The reporting emphasized that the search was continuing and that weather conditions remained a central constraint, even after conditions improved enough to resume operations.

“Advertisement Supported by The ship, the Mariana, was found overturned days after the Coast Guard lost contact with its crew, after a super typhoon struck”

The New York Times

NPR said rescue efforts were delayed earlier because a HC-130 plane launched Thursday returned to Guam due to heavy winds, and it described the storm’s impact as typhoon Sinlaku triggering floods, tearing off roofs and overturning cars on Saipan.

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NPR said officials told it the island endured roughly 48 hours of fierce winds, which delayed responders’ ability to assess damage and help communities.

The New York Times said the Coast Guard was continuing its search for six crew members and that by Saturday morning conditions had improved enough to resume the search.

Marine Insight said search operations resumed on Saturday with support from multiple agencies, including a P-8A Poseidon aircraft from the United States Navy and an aircrew from the Japan Coast Guard.

Marine Insight also said a small craft advisory was still in effect, with winds around 25 knots and hazardous sea states continuing to impact search efforts, and it urged mariners in the region to report any sightings or information that could assist in locating the missing vessel or its crew.

The Week, citing AP, similarly described that a U.S. Navy Boeing P-8A Poseidon crew, a Coast Guard cutter, and a Japanese coast guard aircrew and vessel equipped with a specialised dive team were to take part in the search.

Across outlets, the missing crew members remained the focus: NPR said the overturned ship was found during the search for missing ship with six people on board, and the New York Times said the Coast Guard was continuing its search for six crew members.