HAGATNA, Guam (AP) — Searchers from several countries scoured the Pacific near the Northern Mariana Islands on Monday for six crew members from a cargo ship that overturned during a typhoon that tore through the U.S. territory.
An HC-130 Hercules crew from the U.S. Air Force 31st Rescue Squadron confirmed Sunday night that the overturned ship spotted Saturday is the cargo ship Mariana, the U.S. Coast Guard said in a news release. The plane deployed divers and boats.
“If divers locate a viable access point, the team may employ an underwater remotely operated drone to further investigate the vessel,” the guard said.
Debris, including a partially submerged inflatable life raft, was spotted about 110 miles (177 kilometers) northeast of the overturned vessel, the guard said.
Guard air crews continued to search near the Northern Marianas for the missing crew members, whose nationalities weren't released. So far, the guard and partnering agencies from Guam, Japan and New Zealand have covered more than 99,000 square miles (256,000 square kilometers), the guard said.
The Mariana, a 145-foot (44-meter) dry cargo vessel registered in the U.S., suffered engine failure Wednesday as Typhoon Sinlaku bore down on the island chain, which is home to roughly 50,000 people.
After the crew reported that the ship had lost its starboard engine and needed assistance, the Coast Guard set up a one-hour communication schedule with the vessel, the guard said. 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 the capital of the Northern Marianas and about 3,800 miles (6,115 kilometers) west of Hawaii.
Typhoon Sinlaku triggered floods, tore off roofs and overturned cars on Saipan. The islands endured roughly 48 hours of fierce winds, which delayed responders’ ability to assess damage and help communities, officials said.
The Northern Marianas' government on Sunday requested an expedited major disaster declaration. If approved, it would include assistance for survivors and public infrastructure as well as hazard mitigation funding, the Federal Emergency Management Agency said Monday.
Running water was slowing being restored in some villages, thanks to generators from FEMA, Ed Propst, a former lawmaker who works in the governor's office, said Tuesday.
But because tap water isn't potable, residents typically buy drinking water, which is in short supply now, he said.
The Marianas are also typically very hot and humid, so a lack of air conditioning is making life extra uncomfortable, he added. “Last night there was no breeze,” he said. “Everything is just so still.”
There have been no official updates on electricity restoration, he said.
And flooding has exacerbated the mosquito problem: “It's pretty bad at night,” Propst said.
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