Kerry and Frank O’Brien, along with William Gross, were last heard from as they sailed off Mazatlán aboard the 44-foot sailboat Ocean Bound on April 4, the Coast Guard said Friday, April 14, 2023. (U.S. Coast Guard Pacific Southwest/Facebook)
(Tribune News Service) — The U.S. Coast Guard and the Mexican Navy are searching for three American sailors who have been missing nearly two weeks in the Pacific Ocean.
Kerry and Frank O’Brien, along with William Gross, were last heard from as they sailed off Mazatlán aboard the 44-foot sailboat Ocean Bound on April 4, the Coast Guard said Friday.
They were headed to San Diego after a planned April 6 stop for provisions in Cabo San Lucas, and were to report in before heading north.
“However, there was no record of them arriving in Cabo San Lucas or a report of their location,” the Coast Guard said in a statement.
It posted photos of the vessel and the O’Briens on social media.
Frank and Kerry O’Brien. (U.S. Coast Guard Pacific Southwest/Facebook)
Marinas throughout Baja, Mexico, have been put on alert and “urgent marine information broadcasts have been issued over VHF radio requesting all mariners to keep a lookout for the missing persons and vessel,” the Coast Guard said.
Some elements of Mexico’s navy are also helping search, officials said Saturday.
Family and friends are also looking, relatives said in a post on Facebook.
“Kerry, Frank and Bill are all experienced sailors,” the statement said. “Bill has over 50 years of sailing experience and is an extremely talented coastal cruiser. Kerry and Frank have 20 years sailing together, and both hold Captains licenses with the U.S. Coast Guard. Ocean Bound is a sturdy older vessel and by many accounts is one of the best sailboats ever constructed.”
The family said the vessel left Mazatlán around 9:30 a.m. on April 4, heading west across the Sea of Cortez. The three were planning to sail up the Baja coast. Cellphone pings indicated they tried to dock at various marinas but “were unsuccessful,” the post said.
They were reported missing to the Coast Guard when they had not checked in by the following weekend.
“The sailing community has hundreds of additional vessels looking for our family members. Sadly they have not seen or made contact with them either,” the relatives said. “Please help us bring Kerry, Frank and Bill home.”
With news wire services.
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