US Coast Guard spots overturned vessel near Saipan during search for missing ship

National US Coast Guard spots overturned vessel near Saipan during search for missing ship April 18, 20268:11 PM ET By  The Associated Press A U.S. Coast Guard HC-130 Hercules airplane crew assigned to Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point flies over an overturned vessel offshore Saipan, Saturday, April 18, 2026, while searching for a missing vessel, the Mariana, that experienced an engine failure April 15. AP/U.S. Coast Guard/Air Station Bar hide caption toggle caption AP/U.S. Coast Guard/Air Station Bar 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 kilometers) northeast of the Mariana's last known position, the Coast Guard said. It was 34 nautical miles (63 kilometers) northeast of Pagan, a small island north of Saipan in the western Pacific Ocean. Sponsor Message Weather Parts of Northern Marianas could be without power for weeks after super typhoon The agency said in a statement that it confirmed the overturned ship matched the description of the Mariana, a 145-foot (44-meter) 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 kilometers) north-northwest of Saipan, which is about 3,800 miles (6,115 kilometers) west of Hawaii. Coast Guard of...