Search teams have recovered the body of one of six missing crew members after a U.S.-flagged cargo vessel overturned in the Pacific Ocean during Super Typhoon Sinlaku, authorities confirmed.
According to the United States Coast Guard, divers located the body inside the capsized ship using a remotely operated underwater drone. Additional search efforts by the Japan Coast Guard did not locate any other missing crew members.
Rescue operations are ongoing, with crews continuing to search for the remaining five sailors and a missing life raft in waters surrounding the Northern Mariana Islands. Authorities say more than 99,000 square miles have already been covered in a large-scale multinational effort involving teams from Guam, Japan, and New Zealand.
The vessel, identified as the Mariana, first issued a distress call on April 15 after losing its starboard engine amid severe storm conditions. Contact with the ship was lost the following day.
After days of challenging weather, the overturned vessel was eventually spotted about 40 miles northeast of Pagan island. Investigators later reported that the ship had drifted significantly from its initial location. Debris, including a partially submerged life raft, was also discovered roughly 110 miles away.
The powerful typhoon caused widespread destruction across the region, particularly on the islands of Saipan and Tinian. With sustained winds reaching up to 150 mph—and peaking near 175 mph before landfall—the storm ranks among the strongest of the year.
“Our hearts are with the families of the crew members,” said Coast Guard official Preston Hieb, adding that all available resources are being used to continue the search.
Authorities say the operation remains active as hopes persist for locating the missing crew.