6 Crew Members Missing After U.S.-Flagged Ship Overturns Near Northern Mariana Islands During Typhoon

U.S. Air Force divers used an underwater remotely operated drone to recover one of six missing crew members from a U.S.-flagged cargo ship that overturned near the Northern Mariana Islands during Super Typhoon Sinlaku on April 15. The U.S. Coast Guard stated that additional divers from the Japan Coast Guard did not find any more crew members. The search for five remaining crew members and an orange 12-person life raft continues in the vicinity of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

The incident saw over 99,000 square miles covered by the Coast Guard and its partners from Guam, Japan, and New Zealand. Super Typhoon Sinlaku had sustained winds up to 150 mph, equivalent to a strong Category 4, causing wind damage and flooding in the Northern Marianas, a U.S. territory. The ship drifted 26 nautical miles northeast from where it was initially located before being spotted on Saturday about 40 miles northeast of Pagan. Debris, including a partially submerged life raft, was found about 110 miles from the vessel.