Editor’s note: Days and times included in this press release are Hawaii Standard Time (HST) unless otherwise specified.
HONOLULU — The U.S. Coast Guard and partners continue to search Tuesday for missing crew members of the cargo vessel Mariana.
U.S. Air Force 31st Rescue Squadron divers recovered one deceased individual from the overturned cargo vessel Mariana during dive operations at about 5:12 p.m. Monday. The divers conducted a comprehensive subsurface evaluation of the Mariana's exterior and used an underwater remotely operated drone to search the interior of the vessel.
At 2:17 p.m. Tuesday, the crew of the Japan Coast Guard patrol vessel Akitsushima arrived on scene alongside USCGC Frederick Hatch (WPC 1143) and deployed divers to further examine the vessel. Divers did not locate any additional crew members.
Coast Guard aircrews continue to search for the five missing crewmen and an orange 12-person life raft in the vicinity of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
“Our hearts are with the families of the Mariana crew members and the communities impacted by this tragic incident,” said Cmdr. Preston Hieb, search and rescue mission coordinator, Coast Guard Oceania District. “We continue to search in close coordination with our partners, using all available resources to support the ongoing response.”
Anyone with information that may assist in search efforts should contact the Coast Guard on VHF-FM channel 16 or call the Joint Rescue Coordination Center Honolulu at 1-800-331-6176.
Involved in the search:
- Joint Rescue Coordination Center Honolulu
- USCGC Frederick Hatch (WPC 1143), Coast Guard Forces Micronesia/Sector Guam, Apra Harbor, Guam
- U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point, Kapolei, Hawaii
- U.S. Air Force 31st Rescue Squadron, Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, Japan
- U.S. Navy P-8A Poseidon airplane crew, Patrol Squadron 26 (VP-26), Commander, Task Force 72 (CTF-72)
- Japan Coast Guard Gulfstream V jet
- Japan Coast Guard patrol vessel Akitsushima (PLH-32), Yokohama, Japan
- Royal New Zealand Air Force P-8A Poseidon airplane crew, RNZAF Base Ohakea, New Zealand
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