A U.S. Coast Guard HC-130 Hercules crew spotted this overturned vessel offshore Saipan on April 18, 2026, later confirmed to be the missing cargo ship Mariana. (U.S. Coast Guard)
The U.S. Coast Guard has intensified its search for six missing crew members of the cargo vessel Mariana after they located debris from the ship in a remote area of the Northern Mariana Islands.
The 145-foot, U.S.-flagged vessel was carrying a crew of six when it reported a disabled engine Wednesday, the same day that Super Typhoon Sinlaku slammed into the Northern Mariana Islands.
Coast Guard watchstanders maintained communication with the vessel but ultimately lost contact, according to a series of news releases from Coast Guard Oceania District.
After delays due to severe weather, the Coast Guard launched first-light search efforts on Saturday. Later that day, an HC-130 Hercules plane spotted an overturned ship and debris matching the Mariana’s description.
The Hercules crew, along with the Air Force 31st Rescue Squadron out of Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, deployed pararescuemen, divers and boats to the scene on Sunday evening, where they confirmed the overturned vessel was the Mariana, the district announced.
Among the debris was a partially submerged, partially inflated life raft, according to the news release.
The debris on Sunday was about 70 miles northeast of Pagan, a sparsely populated island about 200 miles north of Guam. The life raft was another 110 miles northeast, according to the Coast Guard.
The divers conducted a comprehensive examination of the Mariana’s exterior on Sunday, and may deploy an underwater drone to further investigate, the Coast Guard said.
Meanwhile, air crews continue to search for the crew and had covered nearly 100,000 square miles as of Sunday evening.
Joint Rescue Coordination Center Honolulu is coordinating the search “due to the complexity of the situation and distance offshore, and the need to coordinate with multiple U.S. and international entities,” spokeswoman Petty Officer 3rd Class Avery Tibbets said by email Sunday.
Participating in the search are the U.S. Coast Guard cutter Frederick Hatch and aircraft from Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point in Hawaii, the 31st Rescue Squadron, a P-8A Poseidon from the Navy’s Task Force 72 in Misawa, Japan, the Japan Coast Guard and a crew with New Zealand’s air force, according to the release.
