Authorities have suspended the search for five missing crew members of a cargo ship that overturned near the Northern Mariana Islands during Super Typhoon Sinlaku, the U.S. Coast Guard announced Wednesday.
The 145-foot (44-meter) vessel, named the Mariana, had six people aboard. Divers recovered one crew member's body from the overturned ship on April 21.
Search Suspended After Extensive Efforts
"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 was halted two weeks after the crew alerted the Coast Guard that the ship had lost its starboard engines and required assistance as Super Typhoon Sinlaku battered the Pacific island chain. The Coast Guard lost contact with the vessel the following day.
Challenges During Initial Search
Heavy winds hampered early search efforts, but the overturned ship was eventually spotted on April 18 approximately 40 miles (64 kilometers) northeast of Pagan, one of the islands in the Northern Marianas, a U.S. territory.
The Coast Guard reported that debris, including a partially submerged inflatable life raft, was found about 110 miles (177 kilometers) from the ship.
Super Typhoon Sinlaku caused significant wind damage and flooding across the Northern Mariana Islands.
