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 United States Coast Guard and partner agencies have now logged more than 85 hours searching for the missing crew of the cargo vessel Mariana, sweeping over 127,900 square nautical miles across waters and remote islands near the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI).
Despite the scale of the operation, five crew members remain unaccounted for.
Authorities say one body has been recovered, though the identity has not been publicly released.
At an emotional community vigil on Saipan on 24 April, the names of those on board were shared for the first time: Landon Delos Reyes, Mohammed Rahaman, Jose Ramirez, Chet Brochon, Vincent Agulto, and Captain Frederick Nosek Jr.
Families and friends gathered to pray, mourn, and call for broader search efforts-particularly on land across the CNMI’s northern islands.
Despite the scale of the operation, five crew members aboard the Mariana remain unaccounted for.
Photo: Courtesy of Marianas Press
Lucille Kamacho Hilario, a relative of one of the missing crew, said families are growing increasingly desperate as time passes.
“We don’t know if the rest of the five is alive and we believe that the clock is ticking,” she said.
“We’re asking, seeking help and assistance so that our loved ones can be brought home.”
Hilario described the toll on families spread across Saipan, the United States, and the Philippines, saying many are “distraught” and “devastated,” especially parents and children waiting for answers.
While acknowledging the Coast Guard’s ongoing maritime search, she urged authorities and the vessel’s owners to expand efforts onto land.
“The Coast Guard, in our belief, can only do the sea portion,” she said. “Somebody needs to go to the Northern Islands … to do searches on foot.”
She added that logistical and financial constraints have hampered such efforts, particularly as the CNMI government continues to respond to the aftermath of a recent typhoon.
“We’re asking the companies … to please help us financially,” Hilario said. “Any fishermen who have boats or anything that’s willing to go and help us find our loved ones.”
The last known communication from the crew was on April 16. Families say that detail continues to give them hope.
“Hopefully they’re still alive out there and they may need food or water… or medical help,” she said.
Search operations remain ongoing.
