The U.S. Coast Guard lost contact with the cargo ship Mariana during Super Typhoon Sinlaku's impact on the Northern Mariana Islands.
The U.S. Coast Guard announced that contact was lost with the U.S.-flagged cargo ship Mariana while Super Typhoon Sinlaku was affecting the Northern Mariana Islands.
There were six crew members onboard.
The Mariana, which regularly transported cargo between Guam, Tinian, and Saipan, was converted from an offshore supply vessel to a cargo ship. It departed from Saipan on the afternoon of April 11 with six crew members. As the typhoon approached, the vessel deviated from its normal route and headed north.
In the following days, the ship, which was circling east of Saipan, re-routed north again on Wednesday morning.
Contact was lost after engine failure.
According to the U.S. Coast Guard, while the ship was sailing approximately 140 miles northwest of Saipan on Wednesday, a failure occurred in the starboard engine. The crew reported the situation, and the Honolulu Joint Rescue Coordination Center (JRCC) took over the operation.
Officials maintained hourly contact with the vessel, stating that the crew's health was good. However, all communication with the ship was lost on Wednesday evening.
According to AIS data, the last signal from the Mariana was received around 14:00 local time, from the position 17°25 North / 145°08 East.
Search efforts are ongoing.
The JRCC dispatched an HC-130J search aircraft from Honolulu on Thursday. However, due to the severe winds affecting the area, the aircraft had to return to Guam.
The U.S. Coast Guard announced that aerial search efforts would resume at dawn on Saturday.
The typhoon caused significant damage in the area.
Super Typhoon Sinlaku impacted the islands of Saipan and Tinian in the middle of the week. Strong winds caused damage along the coasts and widespread power outages.
Officials have requested that mariners and individuals in the area share any information they may have regarding the status of the Mariana.
Source: SeaNews Türkiye
