A U.S. Coast Guard HC-130 search crew sighted an overturned ship early Saturday that matched the description of the dry cargo vessel Mariana, but authorities said they could not immediately verify the vessel’s identity.
The aircraft observed the capsized vessel about 100 nautical miles (185 kilometers) northeast of the Mariana’s last known position and roughly 34 nautical miles (63 kilometers) northeast of Pagan, a small island north of Saipan in the western Pacific.
The Mariana is a 145-foot (44-meter) U.S.-registered dry cargo vessel. The ship reported engine trouble on April 15 as Typhoon Sinlaku approached Saipan and nearby islands, saying it had lost the starboard engine and requesting assistance. The vessel had been checking in on a one-hour schedule with the Coast Guard until communications were lost Thursday.
An HC-130 initially launched Thursday morning but returned to Guam because of heavy winds. The Mariana’s last reported position was about 140 miles (225 kilometers) north-northwest of Saipan. Saipan lies roughly 3,800 miles (6,115 kilometers) west of Hawaii.
Coast Guard officials in Honolulu are gathering information on the overturned ship. Six crew members remain missing; the agency has not released their nationalities.
The multi-agency search includes a U.S. Navy Boeing P-8A Poseidon, a Coast Guard cutter and Japanese coast guard air and surface units, including a specialized dive team.
Typhoon Sinlaku brought about 48 hours of strong winds to Saipan, causing flooding, ripped-off roofs and overturned vehicles, and hampering response and damage assessment. The search and investigation into the overturned vessel are ongoing.