This information is preliminary and subject to change.
On April 16, 2026, about 0637 local time (Chamorro Standard Time), crew on the 145-foot-long cargo vessel Mariana (US flag) reported to their shore-based vessel manager that the vessel had lost starboard propulsion and that they were experiencing severe weather from Typhoon Sinlaku. The vessel, with six crewmembers aboard, was located approximately 13 nautical miles west of Anatahan Island (an uninhabited volcanic island in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands). The vessel manager contacted the US Coast Guard, which advised the manager to conduct hourly check-ins with the vessel. About 1800 that same day, the vessel failed to check in and could not be reached.
Early in the morning on April 17, a Coast Guard aircraft departed Guam to search for the vessel, but after completing half the intended search area, was forced to return to base due to the poor weather. The next day, on April 18, about 0900 local time, the Coast Guard resumed its search and located the vessel, which had overturned, approximately 34 nautical miles northeast of Pagan Island. One crewmember was recovered deceased. After searching more than 135,000 square nautical miles, on April 28, the Coast Guard suspended the search for the remaining crew.
The Coast Guard has declared this incident a major marine casualty. The Coast Guard will lead the investigation, and the NTSB will investigate and determine the probable cause.
