The search for the missing crew of the cargo vessel Mariana off Saipan has turned fatal, with rescuers recovering one body from the overturned ship.
Photo: US Coast Guard
The search for the missing crew of the cargo vessel Mariana off Saipan has turned fatal, with rescuers recovering one body from the overturned ship as efforts continue to locate five others, according to the United States Coast Guard.
Divers from the US Air Force 31st Rescue Squadron recovered the deceased individual at about 5:12 pm Monday following a detailed underwater assessment of the vessel.
The team inspected the ship’s exterior and used a remotely operated vehicle to search inside.
Search operations intensified Tuesday afternoon when the Japan Coast Guard patrol vessel Akitsushima arrived on scene alongside the Coast Guard cutter Frederick Hatch.
The cargo vessel Mariana docked in Saipan.
Photo: US Coast Guard
Divers deployed from the Japanese vessel conducted additional inspections but did not locate any further crew members.
Air and surface crews continue to search for the five missing crewmen and an orange 12-person life raft in waters near the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
“Our hearts are with the families of the Mariana crew members and the communities impacted by this tragic incident,” said Cmdr.Preston Hieb, search and rescue mission coordinator for the Coast Guard’s Oceania District.
“We continue to search in close coordination with our partners, using all available resources to support the ongoing response.”
Authorities are urging anyone with information that may assist the search to contact the Joint Rescue Coordination Center in Honolulu.
The multinational effort includes assets from the US Coast Guard, US Air Force, US Navy, Japan Coast Guard, and the Royal New Zealand Air Force, highlighting the scale of the ongoing search-and-rescue operation.
