Newly released footage shows U.S. Air Force pararescuemen jumping into rough Pacific seas to help Coast Guard crews search for sailors from the Mariana, a 145-foot U.S.-flagged cargo ship that capsized during Super Typhoon Sinlaku. Divers have recovered the body of one crew member, while five others remain missing as ships and aircraft sweep a wide stretch of ocean around the Northern Mariana Islands. The images drive home just how massive the search is, and how hard the storm hit.
Video captures pararescue teams jumping into the search
Video and photos released this week show pararescuemen bailing out of a C-130 Hercules, linking up with a Coast Guard cutter and climbing aboard to get access to the overturned hull for dive operations. Teams also deployed a remotely operated underwater drone to work through the Mariana’s interior when conditions allowed. The footage and photos were published by the U.S. Coast Guard.
How the Mariana went down
The Mariana reported a disabled starboard engine on April 15 as Super Typhoon Sinlaku moved through the region, and contact with the ship was lost later that same day. Aircraft crews eventually spotted an overturned hull about 34 nautical miles northeast of Pagan, roughly 100 miles north-northwest of Saipan, and the search kicked into high gear. The timeline of the distress call, sightings and response is laid out by The Associated Press.
Massive multinational search effort
The response now includes Coast Guard cutters, HC-130 aircraft, U.S. Air Force pararescue teams, a U.S. Navy P-8A Poseidon and dive and patrol assets from Japan and New Zealand. Crews and partners have so far searched for more than 71 hours and covered approximately 100,000 square nautical miles. Cmdr. Preston Hieb said, “We continue to search in close coordination with our partners, using all available resources to support the ongoing response.” Those operational details came from a Coast Guard update. U.S. Coast Guard
Rescue status: one recovered, five missing
U.S. Air Force divers recovered the body of one crew member from the overturned vessel, while searchers say they are still trying to locate five missing sailors and an orange 12-person life raft that was spotted in the area. Debris and a partially submerged life raft have been reported some distance from the wreck, making it harder to determine whether anyone may have reached safety. The Associated Press
Why the storm made this so dangerous
Super Typhoon Sinlaku hammered Saipan and Tinian with prolonged eyewall conditions and sustained winds estimated up to 150 mph, creating violent seas and fierce winds that slowed early search efforts and damaged local infrastructure. The National Weather Service issued Extreme Wind Warnings as the system approached and cautioned that its slow movement would lengthen the period of destructive winds. For the storm advisories, see the National Weather Service.
What's next
Search crews say they will keep working until every lead is exhausted, using aircraft, cutters, divers and remote systems to comb the area while staying in close coordination with international partners. Anyone with information that could help has been asked to contact the Joint Rescue Coordination Center in Honolulu or hail authorities on VHF-FM channel 16. Officials are asking the public for patience as the effort continues and stressing that conditions at sea remain hazardous.
