A U.S. Coast Guard HC-130 Hercules airplane crew assigned to Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point flies over an overturned vessel offshore Saipan, Saturday, April 18, 2026, while searching for a missing vessel, the Mariana, that experienced an engine failure April 15. (U.S. Coast Guard/Air Station Barbers Point via AP)

By The Canadian Press

Search suspended for 5 missing crew of ship that overturned near Northern Marianas during typhoon

Apr 29, 2026 | 4:38 AM

SAIPAN, Northern Mariana Islands (AP) — The search has been suspended for five missing crew members of a cargo ship that overturned near the Northern Mariana Islands during a typhoon, authorities said Wednesday.

Six people were aboard the 145-foot (44-meter) ship, called the Mariana. Divers on April 21 recovered one crew member’s body from the overturned ship.

“We are deeply saddened to announce that despite widespread efforts, we have made the difficult decision to suspend our search for the missing crew members of the Mariana,” Cmdr. Preston Hieb of the U.S. Coast Guard Oceania District said in a video posted on X. “We offer our heartfelt condolences to the families of the Mariana crew, as well as the entire Saipan community.”

The search lasted more than 100 hours and covered an area larger than the state of California, he said.

The search was stopped two weeks after the crew notified the Coast Guard that the ship had lost its starboard engines and needed assistance as Super Typhoon Sinlaku battered the Pacific island chain. The Coast Guard lost contact with the vessel the next day.

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Heavy wind hindered initial search efforts, but the overturned ship was eventually spotted April 18 about 40 miles (64 kilometers) northeast of Pagan, one of the islands that make up the Northern Marianas, which is a U.S. territory.

The Coast Guard said debris included a partially submerged inflatable life raft was spotted about 110 miles (177 kilometers) from the ship.

“The five remaining crew members are still missing,” Hieb said.

Super Typhoon Sinlaku battered the Northern Mariana Islands, causing wind damage and flooding.

The Associated Press

by The Canadian Press

Search suspended for 5 missing crew of ship that overturned near Northern Marianas during typhoon

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