Coast Guard
Coast Guard suspends search for Marine swept away by currents in Puerto Rico
From staff and wire reports
April 2, 2024
Cpl. Samuel Wanjiru is a reserve Marine assigned to Marine Wing Support Squadron (MWSS) 472, Marine Aircraft Group 49, 4th Marine Aircraft Wing. (U.S. Marine Corps)
The search for a 26-year-old Worcester, Mass., Marine who was swept away by strong currents while vacationing in Puerto Rico has been suspended, the U.S. Coast Guard announced.
Cpl. Samuel Wanjiru was the subject of an active search effort over the course of several days beginning Wednesday, when he “came into distress after going into the water,” according to the Coast Guard. The search was suspended Sunday. Wanjiru was in the beach area of La Pared in Luquillo, Puerto Rico, when he disappeared amid high surf and life-threatening rip currents on Puerto Rican beaches.
“We keep Cpl. Samuel Wanjiru and his family in our prayers, hoping they find strength and closure during this most difficult time,” said Capt. Jose E. Diaz, Coast Guard Sector San Juan commander. “The loss of life in Puerto Rico beaches during March has been quite surreal, including the loss of two service members. I commend the efforts of all responders, who have done their utmost to find Cpl. Wanjiru and who have also responded to numerous cases this month resulting in dozens of lives saved, while also conducting efforts to prevent any further loss of life in our beaches.”
Wanjiru is a reserve Marine assigned to Marine Wing Support Squadron (MWSS) 472, Marine Aircraft Group 49, 4th Marine Aircraft Wing, in Chicopee, Mass., the 4th Wing confirmed in a statement to masslive.com. At the time of his disappearance, he was not in an active-duty status or conducting military operations.
Since search efforts began Wednesday, Coast Guard air and surface units conducted 14 searches by air and one surface search, covering 264 square nautical miles. Coast Guard crews worked alongside the Puerto Rico Emergency Management Bureau who served as the lead agency for search effort coordination, multiple Municipal Offices of Emergency Management, Puerto Rico Police, Puerto Rico Police Joint Forces of Rapid Action and other local agency responders.
Assets involved in the search included MH-60T Jayhawk helicopters from Air Station Borinquen, an HC-144 Ocean Sentry fixed-wing aircraft, a 33-foot Special Purpose Craft from Station San Juan and Coast Guard Sector San Juan watchstanders.
Contributing: masslive.com