Mexican Navy, in collaboration with the U.S. Coast Guard, is searching for three American sailors who went missing on April 4th while on a sailing voyage from Mexico to San Diego (ABC News, [1]). The missing crew members have been identified as Kerry O’Brien, Frank O’Brien, and William Gross (Fox News, [4]). They were last heard from near Mazatlán, Mexico, according to the U.S. Coast Guard (USA Today, [6]).
Kerry O’Brien is a retired captain of the New York City Fire Department, and her husband Frank O’Brien is a former Coast Guardsman and tugboat captain (People, [9]). They were sailing on a 37-foot sailboat named “Well Deserved” with William Gross, a seasoned sailor who has crossed the Atlantic twice (NPR, [7]).
The search area covers a vast 2,500-mile area of sea, and both the Mexican Navy and the U.S. Coast Guard have continued to search the area since the crew was reported missing (ABC News, [1]). The search has been ongoing for 13 days now, as the three Americans are still unaccounted for (People, [9]).
It has been reported that the Mexican Navy initially called off the search when they were unable to locate the missing crew, but the U.S. Coast Guard has continued the search (CNN, [3]). The U.S. Coast Guard is also providing support to the Mexican Navy’s efforts to locate the missing sailors (CBS News, [8]).
The cause of the disappearance is currently unknown. It is not clear if bad weather or mechanical failure could have been a factor in the disappearance (NewsNation, [5]). The search for the missing sailors continues as their family and friends are still hopeful for their safe return (NPR, [7]).
The incident serves as a reminder of the dangers of ocean sailing, and the importance of safety precautions when on the open sea (ABC News, [1]).
