6 crew missing after U.S.-flagged ship found overturned in Pacific following powerful typhoon

Overturned ship found near US territory of Saipan after a typhoon The affected vessel is the one that disappeared with six people on board, the US Coast Guard announced on Monday.

The Coast Guard said it was still searching for the six people. The overturned boat was first spotted on Saturday. The debris included a partially submerged and partially inflated life raft. It was seen 95 nautical miles northeast of the ship, the Coast Guard said in a news release.

The crew of an HC-130 Hercules aircraft from the U.S. Air Force’s 31st Rescue Squadron confirmed the vessel’s identity as the cargo ship Mariana late Sunday, the Coast Guard said. The plane deployed rescuers, divers and boats.

“If divers locate a viable access point, the team will be able to use a remotely operated underwater drone to further investigate the vessel,” the statement said.

Coast Guard air crews continued to search for the six people near the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. So far, the Guard and partner agencies from Guam, Japan and New Zealand have covered more than 75,000 square nautical miles, the release said.

The Mariana, a 145-foot U.S.-registered dry cargo ship, suffered an engine failure Wednesday when a massive typhoon slammed Saipan and neighboring islands with high winds and incessant rain.

After the crew reported that the boat had lost its starboard engine and needed assistance, the Coast Guard established a one-hour communications schedule with the vessel.

But contact was lost on Thursday. An HC-130 plane took off that morning to conduct a search, but returned to Guam due to high winds.

The Mariana’s last known position was about 140 miles north-northwest of Saipan, or about 3,800 miles west of Hawaii.

Officials previously said a crew of an HC-130 Hercules aircraft launched an initial search for the ship on Thursday, but returned to Guam due to high winds in the search area.

Typhoon Sinlaku unleashed floods, ripped off roofs and overturned cars on Saipan. Officials said the scale of the storm meant the island endured about 48 hours of high winds, delaying responders’ ability to assess damage and help communities.

The typhoon had winds of up to 240 km/h, equivalent to a strong Category 4, when it hit the islands of Tinian and Saipan of the Northern Mariana Islands, according to the National Weather Service. Its maximum wind speeds wavered somewhat after landfall and have since fallen to 125 mph, as the storm heads north.

Cleanup crews were seen clearing debris in windy conditions on Saipan in a social media video posted by the mayor’s office.

The Northern Marianas government requested an expedited major disaster declaration on Sunday. If approved, it will include aid for survivors and public infrastructure as well as funding for hazard mitigation, the Federal Emergency Management Agency said Monday.