U.S. Coast Guard spots overturned vessel near Saipan during search for missing ship with 6 on board

This map provided by Google shows Hagatina, Guam.

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 kilometres) northeast of the Mariana’s last known position, the Coast Guard said. It was 34 nautical miles (63 kilometres) northeast of Pagan, a small island north of Saipan in the western Pacific Ocean.

The agency said in a statement that it confirmed the overturned ship matched the description of the Mariana, a 145-foot (44-metre) 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 kilometres) north-northwest of Saipan, which is about 3,800 miles (6,115 kilometres) 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.