US Coast Guard spots overturned vessel near Saipan during search for missing ship
TL;DR
The U.S. Coast Guard has spotted an overturned vessel near Saipan while searching for the missing cargo ship Mariana, which had six people on board. The vessel was found approximately 100 nautical miles from Mariana's last known position.
Key points
- U.S. Coast Guard spotted an overturned vessel near Saipan
- The vessel may be linked to the missing cargo ship Mariana
- Mariana went missing with six people on board
- The overturned vessel was found 100 nautical miles from Mariana's last position
- Location was 34 nautical miles northeast of Pagan Island
Mentioned in this story
A U.S. Coast Guard HC-130 Hercules airplane crew assigned to Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point flies over an overturned vessel offshore Saipan, Saturday, April 18, 2026, while searching for a missing vessel, the Mariana, that experienced an engine failure April 15. AP/U.S. Coast Guard/Air Station Bar
AP/U.S. Coast Guard/Air Station Bar
HAGATNA, Guam — An airplane search crew spotted an overturned ship matching the description of a cargo vessel that went missing with six people on board near the U.S. territory of Saipan, though authorities were not able to confirm whether it was the one that was lost, the Coast Guard said Saturday.
The HC-130 Hercules crew saw the vessel early in the day about 100 nautical miles (185 kilometers) northeast of the Mariana's last known position, the Coast Guard said. It was 34 nautical miles (63 kilometers) northeast of Pagan, a small island north of Saipan in the western Pacific Ocean.
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The agency said in a statement that it confirmed the overturned ship matched the description of the Mariana, a 145-foot (44-meter) dry cargo vessel registered in the U.S.
The Mariana suffered engine failure Wednesday as a massive typhoon bore down on Saipan and nearby islands with fierce winds and relentless rain. After the crew reported that the boat had lost its starboard engine and needed assistance, the Coast Guard set up a one-hour communication schedule with the vessel.
But contact was lost Thursday. A HC-130 plane launched that morning to conduct a search, but it returned to Guam due to heavy winds.
The Mariana's last known position was about 140 miles (225 kilometers) north-northwest of Saipan, which is about 3,800 miles (6,115 kilometers) west of Hawaii.
Coast Guard officials in Honolulu were gathering information on the capsized ship, the agency said in a statement.
The guard did not know the nationalities of the Mariana's missing crew members.
A U.S. Navy Boeing P-8A Poseidon crew; a Coast Guard cutter; and a Japanese coast guard aircrew and vessel equipped with a specialized dive team were to take part in the search.
Typhoon Sinlaku triggered floods, tore off roofs and overturned cars on Saipan. Officials said the storm's large size meant that the island endured roughly 48 hours of fierce winds, which delayed responders' ability to assess damage and help communities.
Q&A
What happened to the cargo ship Mariana near Saipan?
The cargo ship Mariana experienced an engine failure and went missing with six people on board.
Where was the overturned vessel found during the search?
The overturned vessel was spotted about 100 nautical miles northeast of the Mariana's last known position.
How far was the overturned vessel from Pagan Island?
The overturned vessel was located 34 nautical miles northeast of Pagan Island.
