missing yacht off mexico

Search for 3 missing American sailors off coast of Mexico has been suspended: US Coast Guard

They had not contacted friends, family or maritime authorities since April 4.

The search for three Americans missing off the coast of Mexico has been suspended, the U.S. Coast Guard said Wednesday.

"An exhaustive search was conducted by our international search and rescue partner, Mexico, with the U.S. Coast Guard and Canada providing additional search assets," Coast Guard Cmdr. Gregory Higgins said in a statement . "SEMAR [The Mexican Navy] and U.S. Coast Guard assets worked hand-in-hand for all aspects of the case. Unfortunately, we found no evidence of the three Americans' whereabouts or what might have happened. Our deepest sympathies go out to the families and friends of William Gross, Kerry O'Brien and Frank O'Brien."

The Mexican Navy and Coast Guard spent "281 cumulative search hours covering approximately 200,057 square nautical miles, an area larger than the state of California, off Mexico's northern Pacific coast with no sign of the missing sailing vessel nor its passengers," the Coast Guard said.

Kerry O'Brien, Frank O'Brien and Gross had not contacted friends, family, or maritime authorities since April 4.

The trio likely encountered "significant" weather and waves as they attempted to sail their 41-foot sailboat from Mazatlán to San Diego.

"When it started to reach into five, six, seven days and we started to get a little more concerned," Kerry's brother Mark Argall told ABC News.

Higgins had expressed concern that the weather in that region worsened around April 6, with swells and wind creating waves potentially over 20 feet high. The three were sailing a capable 41-foot fiberglass boat, with similar sailboats successfully circumnavigating the planet. However, the lack of clear information about the sailors' location, partially attributable to the lack of GPS tracking and poor cellular service near the Baja peninsula, has left the families of the missing Americans uncertain about their loved ones' whereabouts.

"We have all been spinning our wheels about the different scenarios that could have happened," Gross' daughter Melissa Spicuzza said.

Kerry and Frank O'Brien, a married couple, initially decided to travel to Mexico to sail a 41-foot LaFitte sailboat named "Ocean Bound" to San Diego after the boat underwent repairs near Mazatlán, Mexico, according to Argall.

MORE: 6 children rescued near water diversion tunnel in Auburn, Massachusetts

The couple decided to hire Gross, a mechanic by trade and sailor with more than 50 years of experience, to help navigate the boat from Mazatlán to San Diego. Spicuzza recounted that friends of Gross would compare him to the 1980s fictional television character and improvisational savant MacGyver based on his ability to repair boats.

"Whatever it takes, he'll get it rigged up. He'll get it working," Spicuzza described.

The Coast Guard believed the sailors left their slip (the equivalent of a parking spot for boats) on April 2. They eventually departed Mazatlán on April 4, based on Facebook posts and cellphone usage.

The sailors expected the trip across the Gulf of California to Cabo San Lucas, where they planned to pick up provisions, would take two days. However, the Coast Guard does not believe the sailors ever stopped in Cabo San Lucas. Since April 4, marinas throughout the Baja Peninsula have not contacted the vessel, nor have any search and rescue crews spotted it.

According to Higgins, the weather worsened around April 6, with winds of 30 knots, strong swells, and waves making navigation more challenging. Spicuzza added that the sail from Mexico to California is inherently tricky since sailors need to navigate against the wind and current.

"From the tip of Baja all the way back up to Alaska, you're going against wind and current, so it's a more difficult, exhausting sail, but of course, doable with the experience that's on board," Spicuzza.

MORE: 1,200 aboard 2 migrant boats rescued in Mediterranean

Spicuzza added that the group's initially planned 10-day journey was likely unrealistic. Sailing against the wind and current would require the sailors to tack frequently, essentially zig-zag to make progress despite sailing into the wind, which could extend the journey to two and half weeks.

Moreover, according to the Coast Guard, the boat lacks trackable GPS navigation, such as a satellite phone or a tracking beacon. The limited cellular service in that region of Mexico also makes triangulating the cell position difficult.

Robert H. Perry, the designer of the 41-foot sailboat, noted that their boat was likely manufactured in Taiwan 35 years ago. Despite its age, the fiberglass sailboat itself was a time-tested, ocean-navigating boat.

The travel circumstances have left family members uncertain about the status of their loved ones. Based on the timing, it appears possible they are "just going to roll into San Diego like nothing happened in maybe about a week," Spicuzza suggested, with the radio silence attributable to some electronic issue. Alternatively, the Coast Guard has worked on plotting where their life raft might have drifted under current weather conditions.

"It's just been a roller coaster of emotions the last several days; I want my dad home, I want him safe, [and] I want the O'Brien's home safe," Spicuzza said. "I'm very much looking forward to sitting around a table with all of them and joking about the time they got lost at sea – that is the hope."

ABC News' Elisha Asif, Helena Skinner, Zohreen Shah, Amantha Chery and Marilyn Heck contributed to this report.

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Mexico searches for 3 missing US sailors with plane, ships

This photo provided by the U.S Coast Guard on April 14, 2023, shows missing Americans Frank O’Brien, left, and Kerry O’Brien. The two Americans, joined by William Gross, were aboard the 44-foot (13.5 meter) sailing vessel “Ocean Bound,” and have not been heard from since April 4, when they were near the Pacific coast port of Mazatlan, Mexico, according to the Coast Guard. The Mexican Navy says it is using ships and a plane to search for the three Americans who went missing along with their sailboat off Mexico’s northern Pacific coast. (Courtesy of U.S. Coast Guard via AP)

This photo provided by the U.S Coast Guard on April 14, 2023, shows the 44-foot (13.5 meter) sailing vessel “Ocean Bound.” Three Americans, Kerry O’Brien, Frank O’Brien and William Gross, were aboard the boat and have not been heard from since April 4, when they were near the Pacific coast port of Mazatlan, Mexico, according to the Coast Guard. The Mexican Navy says it is using ships and a plane to search for the three who went missing along with their sailboat off Mexico’s northern Pacific coast. (Courtesy of U.S. Coast Guard via AP)

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MEXICO CITY (AP) — The Mexican Navy said Monday it is using ships and a plane to search for three Americans who went missing along with their sailboat off Mexico’s northern Pacific coast.

The Navy said it is using four patrol boats and a twin-engine prop airplane to search the area, but apparently no sign of the missing people has turned up yet.

The three Americans were aboard the 44-foot (13.5 meter) sailing vessel “Ocean Bound.” The U.S. Coast Guard gave their names as Kerry O’Brien, Frank O’Brien, and William Gross.

They have not been heard from since April 4, when they were near the Pacific coast port of Mazatlán, Mexico. The three had planned to stop for supplies in the Baja town of Cabo San Lucas, before proceeding to San Diego.

However, the Coast Guard said marinas in Baja California have not reported seeing the vessel.

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Husband and wife among 3 missing American sailors off the coast of Mexico

The Mexican Navy and U.S. Coast Guard are scouring a 2,500-mile area at sea in search of a married couple and another sailor who have been missing for 13 days since setting sail from Mexico en route to San Diego.

Husband and wife Frank and Kerry O'Brien and their friend, William Gross, have not been seen since April 4, when they set sail from the Mexican port city of Mazatlán.

The trio planned to stop in Cabo San Lucas for supplies on April 6, but the Coast Guard said there's no record of them arriving.

"There is no confirmation they had filled the vessel's fuel tanks, nor confirmation that they took on food and supplies," Coast Guard Commander Gregory Higgins told NBC News correspondent Miguel Almaguer on TODAY on April 17.

Coast Guard officials don't believe the group had enough fuel or food on board for 13 days at sea, which is why they and the Mexican Navy are aggressively pursuing the search and rescue.

All three are experienced sailors, and the O'Briens are even licensed Coast Guard captains.

"We’re pleading for anyone out there to be on the lookout," Ellen Argall, Kerry O'Brien's mother, told Almaguer. "We miss you so much and love you so much. We just want you to come home."

The group was traveling on the O'Brien's 44-foot sailing vessel, the "Ocean Bound," with minimal technology on board. They may have encountered winds over 30 knots and 20-foot waves, according to the Coast Guard.

Their disappearance comes about a month after four Americans were kidnapped and two of them killed, likely by drug cartels in the Mexican border town of Matamoros.

The three missing sailors left from a "do not travel" zone in the Sinaloa state in Mexico.

“Hopefully someone sees them and gets them to make contact or relay on some messages out there," Gross' daughter, Melissa Spicuzza, said on TODAY.

Scott Stump is a trending reporter and the writer of the daily newsletter This is TODAY (which you should subscribe to here! ) that brings the day's news, health tips, parenting stories, recipes and a daily delight right to your inbox. He has been a regular contributor for TODAY.com since 2011, producing features and news for pop culture, parents, politics, health, style, food and pretty much everything else. 

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Missing Sailor’s Boat Is Found Off the Mexican Coast

Donald Lawson, 41, of Baltimore was training for a solo sailing trip around the world when he left Acapulco on July 5. His capsized boat, the Defiant, was found in the Pacific on July 24.

By Chang Che

The capsized boat of Donald Lawson, a sailor from Baltimore who disappeared in the Pacific Ocean over two weeks ago, has been found off the coast of Mexico, his wife said.

A Mexican Navy search and rescue team discovered a vessel, later identified as Mr. Lawson’s trimaran, the Defiant, about 410 miles south of Acapulco, Mexico, on Thursday.

Mr. Lawson, 41, was training for an attempt to set a world record while circumnavigating the globe solo in a sailboat. His wife, Jacqueline Lawson, said in a statement on Sunday that she lost contact with him on July 12 after his boat lost engine power in a storm off the Mexican coast. Mr. Lawson was still missing as of Monday.

Here’s what to know about the search for Mr. Lawson.

Who is Donald Lawson?

Mr. Lawson, 41, is a professional sailor from Baltimore who hoped to become the fastest person to sail solo and nonstop around the world in a boat no longer than 60 feet. He also hoped to become one of the few African Americans to set world records in the sport of sailing. Mr. Lawson and his wife started the Dark Seas Project, an effort to promote more diversity in the sport of sailing. He is also the chairman of the diversity, equity and inclusion committee for U.S. Sailing, the national governing body for the sport.

In a 2022 interview published on the U.S. Sailing website , Mr. Lawson said that when he took up sailing, “I was the only African American I saw, but my passion, love and drive made me forget about issues or people who didn’t want me there.”

Mr. Lawson believed the Defiant, a 60-foot sailing vessel known as a trimaran, could help him achieve his ambitions. Before Mr. Lawson acquired it, the Defiant set a speed record in a 2017 race from California to Hawaii. It has also been used as a training boat for the America’s Cup race, Ms. Lawson said.

Mr. Lawson was last heard from on July 12.

Mr. Lawson set off on July 5 from Acapulco, where he had just finished repairing his boat. He was bound for Baltimore by way of the Panama Canal as he was gearing up for his world record sailing attempt in the fall. Four days later, on July 9, he used a satellite communication device popular among sailors to text his wife that he was experiencing issues with the Defiant. The boat had lost engine power and he was forced to rely on a wind generator.

Mr. Lawson lost the wind generator in a storm on July 12, Ms. Lawson said in her statement. It was the last time she heard from her husband.

Ray Feldmann, a spokesman for Ms. Lawson, said in a phone interview that Ms. Lawson had remained hopeful for several days that her husband would find a way to get in touch with her.

“It was not uncommon for him to shut down communications in order to conduct fixes to the boat,” Mr. Feldmann said. But on July 21, after almost 10 days without contact, Ms. Lawson reported him missing.

The capsized Defiant was found on July 24.

The U.S. Coast Guard issued an alert to vessels in the area where Mr. Lawson’s boat was last detected. According to the tracking app PredictWind , that was on July 13, roughly 320 miles south of Acapulco.

The Mexican Navy began a search. On July 24, one of its planes spotted a capsized boat later identified as the Defiant. The U.S. Coast Guard said it had dispatched a 210-foot patrol boat called the Active to assist in the search-and-rescue operation.

Rescue teams did not locate Mr. Lawson near his boat in the days after it was found. The U.S. Coast Guard said it had suspended its search mission on Friday evening, leaving it to the Mexican naval authorities to continue the search for Mr. Lawson.

The U.S. Coast Guard has “limited capabilities” for such a long-range rescue operation, said Edward Wargo, a spokesman. And Mr. Lawson’s boat, which was found hundreds of miles off the coast of Mexico, was outside its jurisdiction.

The search efforts could restart if new information about Mr. Lawson turned up, Mr. Wargo added.

Mr. Lawson might be on a missing life raft.

When Mr. Lawson set sail from Mexico aboard the Defiant, the boat was equipped with a survival suit, a 12-foot dinghy and a life raft. The Mexican Navy found the suit, which could keep him dry, and the dinghy during its search mission, Mr. Feldmann said.

But as of Sunday, the Mexican Navy had not found the life raft after repeated searches in the area where the Defiant was found.

“I view this as encouraging news,” Ms. Lawson said in her statement on Sunday. “I believe Donald used the life raft when the Defiant became disabled, and that he is still out there somewhere.”

She added that she and her family remained “hopeful and optimistic” that her husband would be found alive.

Mr. Feldmann said that neither he nor Ms. Lawson received an update on the search on Monday.

Because Mr. Lawson has been missing for over two weeks, Mr. Feldmann said, the only hope is that he is in the life raft, perhaps with a supply of potable water taken from the Defiant before it capsized.

“Maybe he’s adrift or found an island or some shelter of some kind,” he said. “Absent evidence to the contrary, we hope he’s on the raft and he will be located.”

Chang Che is the Asia technology correspondent for The Times. He previously worked for The China Project and as a freelance writer covering Chinese technology and society. More about Chang Che

A massive search for 3 missing American sailors off Mexico coast has been called off

The search for three Americans missing along with their sailboat off Mexico's northern Pacific coast since April 4 has been suspended, the U.S. Coast Guard said.

In a news release Wednesday, the agency said the search was suspended pending "further developments" after SEMAR — the Mexican navy — and the Coast Guard spent roughly 280 hours searching Mexico's northern Pacific coast.

After searching nearly 200,000 square miles with no sign of the missing passengers and the missing sailing vessel, officials suspended the search.

"SEMAR and U.S. Coast Guard assets worked hand-in-hand for all aspects of the case. Unfortunately, we found no evidence of the three Americans' whereabouts or what might have happened," Coast Guard Cmdr. Gregory Higgins said.

The three sailors — identified as Kerry O'Brien, Frank O'Brien and William Gross — reportedly left Mazatlán, a city on Mexico's west coast, aboard a 44-foot boat named Ocean Bound on April 4 and were headed to San Diego.

They planned to stop in Cabo San Lucas — roughly 224 miles from Mazatlán — on April 6 to report in before they continued their trip, the Coast Guard said. However, there was no record of the three mariners arriving in Cabo San Lucas nor a check-in of their location.

In an interview with San Diego TV station NBC 7 , the family of William Gross told the station they have not lost hope and that he and his sailing companions will be found.

"Our hope is for our Dad, and Kerry and Frank to be sailing into port soon, tired and sore, but safe," the Gross family said in a statement to the station. "And our hearts certainly go out to the other two families who are being equally impacted during this extremely difficult time."

Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

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U.S. Coast Guard and Mexican navy are searching for 3 missing American sailors

Juliana Kim

The three American sailors were expected to stop in Cabo San Lucas in Mexico's Baja California before returning to the United States. Luis Acosta/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

The three American sailors were expected to stop in Cabo San Lucas in Mexico's Baja California before returning to the United States.

The U.S. Coast Guard and the Mexican navy are searching for three American sailors who went missing over 10 days ago in Mexico.

The three sailors — identified as Kerry O'Brien, Frank O'Brien and William Gross — reportedly left Mazatlán, a city near Mexico's west coast, aboard a 44-foot boat named Ocean Bound on April 4 and were headed to San Diego.

UPDATE: A massive search for 3 missing American sailors off Mexico coast has been called off

According to the Coast Guard, the three mariners planned to stop in Cabo San Lucas, about 224 miles from Mazatlán, on April 6 to report in before they continued their trip.

"However, there was no record of them arriving in Cabo San Lucas or a report in of their location," the Coast Guard said in a statement on Friday.

The Mexican Navy, with the assistance of the #USCG , is searching for three American sailors, last heard from April 4, near Mazatlan, MX. en route to San Diego. Kerry and Frank O'Brien and William Gross were sailing aboard the 44-foot S/V Ocean Bound. https://t.co/0bzFQVsYC3 pic.twitter.com/GCcbGBvkQH — USCGNorCal (@USCGNorCal) April 15, 2023

Search-and-rescue coordinators, who reached out to marinas near Cabo San Lucas, have not received any sightings of the boat, the Coast Guard added.

Federal authorities are working with the Mexican navy to locate the three sailors.

• U.S. Coast Guard

Three San Diego-bound sailors missing after departing Mexico more than a week ago

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Mexican and U.S. authorities are searching for three American sailors who went missing after departing Mexico for San Diego more than a week ago.

The sailors, who were traveling on a 44-foot boat called Ocean Bound, left Mazatlán, Mexico, on April 4. They missed a scheduled stop for supplies in Cabo San Lucas two days later, according to a news release from the United States Coast Guard.

The Mexican Navy, with the assistance of the #USCG , is searching for three American sailors, last heard from April 4, near Mazatlan, MX. en route to San Diego. Kerry and Frank O'Brien and William Gross were sailing aboard the 44-foot S/V Ocean Bound. https://t.co/0bzFQVsYC3 pic.twitter.com/GCcbGBvkQH — USCGNorCal (@USCGNorCal) April 15, 2023

The Mexican and U.S. officials are working together to search for the sailors, Kerry O’Brien, Frank O’Brien and William Gross, according to the Coast Guard.

Search and rescue coordinators have contacted marinas throughout Baja, Mexico, but have not received any reported sightings of the boat or the sailors, officials said. Urgent marine information broadcasts have also been issued over VHF radio requesting all mariners to keep a lookout for the missing people and vessel.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of the three sailors or their vessel are asked to contact the U.S. Coast Guard search and rescue coordination center at (510) 437-3701.

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Debbie Truong is a former higher education reporter for the Los Angeles Times. Previously, she covered PK-12 education for WAMU-FM, the NPR affiliate in Washington, D.C., and the Washington Post. She attended Syracuse University and received a master’s degree in journalism from American University. She grew up in the San Gabriel Valley.

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Boat is found off Mexico in search for missing Baltimore sailor as wife says 'we remain hopeful'

The vessel of the missing Baltimore sailor , who set out to sea with hopes of breaking multiple world records, has been located, according to Mexican authorities, as his wife says she's holding out "hope" that he is found safe after having been missing at sea for two weeks.

Donald Lawson, 41, an experienced sailor, had planned to travel from Acapulco, Mexico, to Central America’s west coast, through the Panama Canal and on to Baltimore in his a 60-foot racing trimaran called “Defiant,” but he experienced engine issues and headed back to Mexico, Quentin Lawson Sr., 39, his brother, said Tuesday.

Mexico's marine secretary's office said Tuesday that it started to search for Lawson on Friday and that his vessel was located 275 nautical miles from Acapulco.

However, bad weather amid the Pacific's hurricane season have hindered authorities from reaching it, the spokesperson said.

Three boats from the marine secretary’s office are trying to reach the boat, along with an aircraft. The office said it's unclear whether Lawson is on the boat.

The office said it hopes the weather clears up to allow search and rescue crews to reach the boat.

The U.S. Coast Guard did not immediately reply to a request about whether it could confirm the boat sighting.

Lawson’s wife, Jacqueline Lawson, said in a statement Tuesday evening to NBC affiliate WBAL of Baltimore : “We are aware of unconfirmed reports that Donald’s sailboat, Defiant, may have been spotted by the Mexican Navy.”

“We are not giving up hope and we are remaining hopeful of his return,” she said. “He is an experienced sailor who is well-equipped to expertly handle these types of challenging weather conditions in the Pacific. We are continuing to pray that Donald will be found and will soon return home safely to his family, friends, and sailing supporters.”

Lawson wanted to become the first African American to circumnavigate the globe alone in a sailing vessel no longer than 60 feet, his brother said.

He set off from Acapulco on July 5, and a “storm knocked out one of his engines” on July 9, his brother said.

The U.S. Coast Guard received a report from Lawson’s wife Friday. She told authorities her husband said July 12 that he was “experiencing electrical/mechanical issues with his sail boat and was headed back to Acapulco.”

The last communication was reported to have been about 275 nautical miles off Acapulco on July 12, said Petty Officer Hunter Schnabel of Coast Guard District 11, based in Alumina, California. Quentin Lawson said the family last communicated with him on July 13. 

Quentin Lawson said data from his brother’s vessel showed he drastically reduced speed late July 12, when he was traveling with the wind at around 11 knots. But then he changed course and began traveling against the wind, and his speed reduced to 2.9 knots.

“I believe something happened at that moment,” he said. “It doesn’t make sense to turn out of the wind into the wind when you’re on emergency route to turn back.”

Mexico’s Maritime Search and Rescue unit is leading the search and rescue operations, the Coast Guard said.

Breaking News Reporter

Nicole Duarte is an assignment editor in NBC News’ Miami bureau.

Antonio Planas is a breaking news reporter for NBC News Digital. 

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Husband and wife among 3 missing American sailors off the coast of Mexico

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The Mexican Navy and U.S. Coast Guard are scouring a 2,500-mile area at sea in search of a married couple and another sailor who have been missing for 13 days since setting sail from Mexico en route to San Diego.

Husband and wife Frank and Kerry O'Brien and their friend, William Gross, have not been seen since April 4, when they set sail from the Mexican port city of Mazatlán.

The trio planned to stop in Cabo San Lucas for supplies on April 6, but the Coast Guard said there's no record of them arriving.

"There is no confirmation they had filled the vessel's fuel tanks, nor confirmation that they took on food and supplies," Coast Guard Commander Gregory Higgins told NBC News correspondent Miguel Almaguer on TODAY on April 17.

The Mexican Navy, with the assistance of the #USCG , is searching for three American sailors, last heard from April 4, near Mazatlan, MX. en route to San Diego. Kerry and Frank O'Brien and William Gross were sailing aboard the 44-foot S/V Ocean Bound. https://t.co/0bzFQVsYC3 pic.twitter.com/GCcbGBvkQH — USCGNorCal (@USCGNorCal) April 15, 2023

Coast Guard officials don't believe the group had enough fuel or food on board for 13 days at sea, which is why they and the Mexican Navy are aggressively pursuing the search and rescue.

All three are experienced sailors, and the O'Briens are even licensed Coast Guard captains.

"We’re pleading for anyone out there to be on the lookout," Ellen Argall, Kerry O'Brien's mother, told Almaguer. "We miss you so much and love you so much. We just want you to come home."

The group was traveling on the O'Brien's 44-foot sailing vessel, the "Ocean Bound," with minimal technology on board. They may have encountered winds over 30 knots and 20-foot waves, according to the Coast Guard.

Their disappearance comes about a month after four Americans were kidnapped and two of them killed, likely by drug cartels in the Mexican border town of Matamoros.

The three missing sailors left from a "do not travel" zone in the Sinaloa state in Mexico.

“Hopefully someone sees them and gets them to make contact or relay on some messages out there," Gross' daughter, Melissa Spicuzza, said on TODAY.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com

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US, Mexican officials search for 3 American sailors last heard from 11 days ago

The US Coast Guard is assisting Mexican navy crews in the search for three American sailors, last heard from on April 4 near Mazatlán, Mexico, according to a Coast Guard news release.

Kerry O'Brien, Frank O'Brien and William Gross are all "experienced sailors," according to a joint statement from their families. They were aboard the Ocean Bound, a 44-foot La Fitte sailing vessel, when they left the Mexican city of Mazatlán en route to San Diego, the Coast Guard said.

"The sailors planned to stop in Cabo San Lucas on April 6 for provisions and to report in before continuing on to San Diego," the news release said.

"However, there was no record of them arriving in Cabo San Lucas or a report in of their location."

Rescue coordinators have contacted marinas throughout Baja, Mexico, but there have been no sightings of the vessel, the news release said.

"Urgent marine information broadcasts have been issued over VHF radio requesting all mariners to keep a lookout for the missing persons and vessel," the Coast Guard said.

Coast Guard officials urge anyone with information on the sailors or the sailing vessel to call the Coast Guard search and rescue coordination center at 510-437-3701.

Weather 'not optimal' for that type of trip

Cmdr. Greg Higgins, search mission coordinator for the US Coast Guard, said the weather was less than ideal when the trio set out.

"When they began their voyage we know that the conditions were not optimal for that type of trip, though certainly, there were sailing vessels out there during that time. Winds potentially over 30 knots and seas 15 to 20, maybe more, feet at the time of their voyage," Higgins told CNN's Fredricka Whitfield Saturday.

"It's a long trip for even in good conditions, from Mazatlán to Cabo. That's two days, and certainly on to San Diego, which was their eventual destination. And since then it has improved marginally," he added.

Higgins said he hopes to gather information from witnesses who might have seen the sailors who went missing.

"The Mexican Navy, now based in La Paz, Mexico, has the lead for search efforts, so there are numerous Mexican naval search and rescue assets that are working the case," Higgins said. "For our portion, to support the excellent partnership that we have with Mexico and the Mexican Navy.

"We've conducted search planning, so we're using computer search tools to identify where the vessel may be based on environmental conditions, winds, and currents, where it may have drifted if they became distressed, as well as Coast Guard aircraft, searching with the permission of Mexico, and Coast Guard cutters searching as well," Higgins said.

Missing Americans are 'experienced sailors,' families say

The three Americans "are all experienced sailors," according to a joint statement from their families.

"Bill has over 50 years of sailing experience and is an extremely talented coastal cruiser. Kerry and Frank have 20 years sailing together and both hold captains licenses with the US Coast Guard," according to the statement.

Ocean Bound, described as "a sturdy older vessel," departed Mazatlán on April 4 at about 9:30 a.m. local time. It headed "across the Sea of Cortez, a short stop had been planned in Cabo San Lucas and then to sail up the coast of Baja to San Diego," the statement said. When they didn't check in by the weekend, the Coast Guard was notified.

"Cell phone pings on 4/4/2023 show off the coast of Mazatlan as calls to marinas in Cabo San Lucas," according to the families.

Their families presume they were trying to make slip reservations at the marina. But, because all the calls made were so short, it's believed the attempts to reach someone were unsuccessful, said the statement. That calls are the last known contact with the Ocean Bound.

According to family, the Coast Guard "has a current 'travel projection' if Ocean Bound simply lost radio contact and continued her journey to San Diego at just North or South of Turtle Bay (Bahia Tortugas) on the Baja Peninsula and is focused on searching there, in addition to long aircraft sweeps along the Baja Peninsula."

The parameters are reassessed each night to redefine the search the next day, according to the statement.

"The sailing community has hundreds of additional vessels looking for our family members," said the joint statement.

The families thanked the Mexican Navy and US Coast Guard for their search and rescue operations.

"They have communicated all of their efforts with kindness and compassion more than once a day," said the statement.

The CNN Wire ™ & © 2023 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.

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Search ends for 3 Americans on sailboat that went missing off Mexico

Three reportedly experienced sailors were traveling to San Diego on a 44-foot boat

The U.S. Coast Guard and Mexican Navy have given up their search for three Americans who went missing while traveling by sailboat off the Pacific coast of Mexico, American officials said Wednesday.

The sailors were last heard from nearly two weeks ago after reportedly departing Mazatlán in Sinaloa state.

In a news release, the U.S. Coast Guard said the search spanned over 280 hours and covered more than 200,000 square nautical miles. There was no sign of the ship or its crew.

“This is a reminder for mariners of the importance of providing a person ashore with your float plan which in this case allowed the U.S Coast Guard to be notified when the missing sailors did not check in with family,” the military branch said in the news release.

“It also underscores the importance of carrying a registered 406MHZ electronic position indicating radio beacon (EPIRB) for automatic notification in emergencies.”

Sailboat crew rescued in Pacific after abandoning ship sunk by whale

Last week, the U.S. Coast Guard said it was aiding the Mexican Navy in the search for the 44-foot sailing vessel Ocean Bound, which was carrying Kerry O’Brien, Frank O’Brien and William Gross.

The trio reportedly left Mazatlán on April 4 on a trip that would end in San Diego. They planned to stop in Cabo San Lucas on April 6 to pick up supplies and check in.

“However, there was no record of them arriving in Cabo San Lucas or a report in of their location,” a news release says.

Coast Guard chief petty officer Levi Read, with the District 11 public affairs office, told The Washington Post there was inclement weather at the time they were last heard from.

“Reports were that there were 30-knot winds and 15- to 20-foot swells, which is pretty rough,” he said. “There were other sailing vessels out there at that time that did fine. It wasn’t smooth.”

The Mexican Navy and Coast Guard supplied boats and planes to look for the missing boat, Read said.

Is it safe to travel to Mexico?

In interviews with “Good Morning America,” family members said the three sailors had significant experience.

“She’s a licensed captain by the United States Coast Guard and has got over 20 years of experience sailing, and her husband is not far behind her either,” said Mark Argall, Kerry O’Brien’s brother.

Melissa Spicuzza, Gross’s daughter, told the news program that her father had been sailing since the 1970s and is a mechanic by trade, “so he can fix anything.”

“I have not been out of contact with my father pretty much my entire life,” she said. “We are incredibly close.”

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Bad behavior: Entitled tourists are running amok, defacing the Colosseum , getting rowdy in Bali and messing with wild animals in national parks. Some destinations are fighting back with public awareness campaigns — or just by telling out-of-control visitors to stay away .

Safety concerns: A door blew off an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 jet, leaving passengers traumatized — but without serious injuries. The ordeal led to widespread flight cancellations after the jet was grounded, and some travelers have taken steps to avoid the plane in the future. The incident has also sparked a fresh discussion about whether it’s safe to fly with a baby on your lap .

Yacht designer Bob Perry weighs in on 3 missing American sailors

SAN DIEGO, Calif. (KGTV) — The search continues for three missing American sailors who were traveling off the coast of Mexico.

Frank and Kerry O’Brien and William Gross were last heard from on April 4th when they departed from Mazatlan. The three reportedly planned to stop for provisions in Cabo San Lucas before sailing to San Diego, but there is no record of them stopping in Cabo.

ABC 10News spoke with Bob Perry, the designer of the LaFitte 44 Cutter they were sailing.

“My heart sinks,” said Perry. “I was worried…I did lose a little sleep. But I wait for facts.”

Perry is a world-renowned yacht designer with decades of experience. He says that specific design is built to withstand the conditions the sailors were likely up against. The U.S. Coast Guard has estimated they faced winds over 30 knots and seas 15-20 feet.

“You’re not out there enjoying yourself in those conditions, but you should not be in survival mode. You should be able to shorten sail and sail comfortably and not be in survival mode,” said Perry.

He says the distance shouldn’t have been the problem either.

“From Mazatlan to Cabo and back to San Diego…that’s not something that was too ambitious for them for the vessel they had?” asked ABC 10News.

“No, that’s a trip to the grocery store for this boat. It should be a piece of cake. In fact, you could probably find countless LaFittes that have made that trip,” he said.

Perry says the LaFitte 44 Cutter has gone further in worse conditions.

“Many of my boats in that size range have done solo circumnavigations non-stop. That’s once around the world by yourself, no stops,” he explained.

Given the three sailors on board all had decades of experience, Perry briefly touched on other possibilities.

“It could be a fire…which would be unusual. Could be hit by a ship,” he said.

But ultimately, with no evidence and no distress signal detected, Perry says it’s all speculation so far. He hasn’t given up hope that the three may still be found.

“Keep an open mind and wait for hopefully facts to come in," he said.

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3 Americans and Their Sailboat Have Vanished Between Mazatlan and San Diego

Two American sailors (pictured) are missing along with a third, and their boat, the “Ocean Bound.” Photos: courtesy U.S. Coast Guard

Three American sailors bound for San Diego have disappeared off the coast of Baja California, Mexico.

The Mexican Navy and U.S. Coast Guard undertook a joint search effort when the three individuals failed to arrive for a scheduled supply stop in Cabo San Lucas on April 6. They’d last been heard from on April 4, the Coast Guard reported , as they sailed their 44-foot vessel Ocean Bound near Mazatlan, Mexico.

But two days later, they’d not only missed their port visit to Cabo San Lucas, but also gone radio silent.

Kerry O’Brien, Frank O’Brien, and William Gross were the crew of the 44-foot yacht. The vessel’s last known whereabouts placed it departing from Mazatlan, the Coast Guard reported. Since then, it said, search and rescue coordinators have contacted marinas throughout Baja California “with negative sightings of the vessel.”

According to a Facebook post by Kerry’s brother, Mark Argall , “cell phone pings on 4/4/2023 show off the coast of Mazatlan as calls to marinas in Cabo San Lucas. All calls were short and it’s presumed they were trying to make slip/ball reservations.” The calls did not go through, however.

Now, the Coast Guard and Mexican Navy are searching the coastline and Pacific Ocean for any sign of the sailors or the yacht. ABC identified the boat as a Lafitte, designed by Robert H. Perry Yacht Designers. The single-mast ships with their auxiliary motors are powerful and proven ocean-goers, according to Cruising World .

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of the three sailors of the Ocean Bound should contact the U.S. Coast Guard search and rescue coordination center at 510-437-3701.

Updates are available via the Coast Guard’s Twitter or Facebook accounts.

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3 American Sailors Missing Off Coast of Mexico for 13 Days, Including Husband and Wife

Kerry O'Brien, Frank O'Brien and William Gross have not been heard from since April 4

A search is underway for three Americans who have been missing at sea for 13 days now since setting sail from Mexico en route to San Diego.

Frank O'Brien and Kerry O'Brien — who are husband and wife — as well as their friend, William Gross, have not been seen or heard from since April 4, when the trio left Mazatlán, Mexico , according to a release from the U.S. Coast Guard.

A stop in Cabo San Lucas for supplies had been planned for April 6, authorities say, but their 44-foot sailing vessel was not recorded arriving. A report of their location hasn't been made either.

Now, the U.S. Coast Guard and the Mexican Navy are combing a 2,500-mile area at sea in hopes to track them down.

"Search and rescue coordinators have contacted marinas throughout Baja, Mexico, with negative sightings of the vessel," the Coast Guard states. "Urgent marine information broadcasts have been issued over VHF radio requesting all mariners to keep a lookout for the missing persons and vessel."

Gross' daughter Melissa Spicuzza told NBC San Diego that the O'Brien family invited her father to join them at sea, with all three sailors having decades of experience and the O'Briens having Coast Guard captain's licenses.

"I'm just wanting my dad, my dad and the O'Briens, to roll back in and say, 'What's going on guys?'" she said.

"The last message I got from my dad was, 'We have a 9:30 departure today,' on Tuesday, April 4," Spicuzza added. "... We communicate constantly with family and friends. We have a Facebook group that we post to. We check in. If our sailing plan changes, we let people know."

The journey, in which the trio is traveling on a LaFitte model 44 sailing yacht, requires a 200-plus-mile sail across the southern Gulf of California, per ABC News . The sailboat itself features a single mast for sailing and an auxiliary motor, the publication reports, and is designed by Robert H. Perry Yacht Designers .

Kerry O'Brien's mother Ellen Argyle told local outlet KFMB that her daughter has "always loved the water" since she was a child, and has been sailing for about 20 years.

"They just keep hoping, hoping and praying that I'll hear some good news. I want good news, not bad news," Argyle said.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Family members have said that hundreds of boats have been helping in the search, with sailors throughout Southern California offering assistance.

"There is no confirmation they had filled the vessel's fuel tanks, nor confirmation that they took on food and supplies," Coast Guard Commander Gregory Higgins told NBC News on the Today show Monday, adding that they don't believe the trio have enough fuel or food on board for 13 days at sea.

Those with any information on their whereabouts are encouraged to contact the U.S. Coast Guard's rescue coordination center .

Related Articles

Carnival cruise ship rescues 25 people stranded off the coast of Mexico

A Carnival Cruise Line ship responded to a call from the U.S. Coast Guard and rescued 25 people stranded in a small boat off the coast of Mexico, the company announced Saturday.

The 2,984-passenger Carnival Radiance had left Long Beach, California, on Friday and was heading toward Ensenada Mexico for a three-day sailing when the cruise ship's officers were informed by the Coast Guard "about a distress call involving a small vessel," a news release said.

The ship immediately routed toward the location of the vessel, provided by the USCG, and "quickly" rescued all 25 people on board, including three children, the company said.

The U.S. Coast Guard did not immediately respond to USA TODAY's request for comment.

The rescued group was welcomed onto the cruise ship and given food, water, and medical assistance. Carnival coordinated with the Coast Guard to hand off the group.

Learn more: Best travel insurance

The incident did not disrupt the Carnival Radiance's schedule, the company announced.

A roller coaster in the ocean: What Carnival Cruise Line's BOLT ride is like

Another Carnival ship rescued a group of 28 Cuban nationals stuck at sea as it was sailing the Caribbean and saw people signaling for help in late April. The cruise ship was headed from Tampa, Florida, to Roatan in Honduras at the time. Also last month, a Celebrity Cruises ship sailing from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to multiple destinations in the Caribbean rescued a small vessel adrift between Mexico and Cuba.

Kathleen Wong is a travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Hawaii. You can reach her at [email protected]

• water search

Search suspended for missing father and son near Port Lavaca, Coast Guard says

Port Lavaca, Texas (KTRK) -- The Coast Guard suspended its search for a man and his teenage son who were reported overdue near Port Lavaca on Saturday.

According to USCG, the search was suspended at around 7:55 a.m. on Sunday.

At around 11:20 a.m. on Saturday, crews received a call reporting that the father and son were overdue.

The pair had reportedly departed at 5 a.m. to shrimp off Magnolia Beach in a shrimping vessel called 'My Possum,' and were due to return at around 10:30 a.m.

Watchstanders issued an urgent marine information broadcast and directed the launch of a helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station Corpus Christi and a 29-foot response boat from Coast Guard Station Port O'Connor.

A fireboat crew from Calhoun County arrived at the scene and reported a capsized vessel matching the 'My Possum' description in the Matagorda Ship Channel off Magnolia Beach.

"Unfortunately, after considering all pertinent factors, we made the difficult decision to suspend our search today," Homar Barrera, search and rescue mission coordinator with Sector Corpus Christi, said.

Anyone with information is encouraged to contact Sector Corpus Christi at 361-939-0450.

EDITOR'S NOTE: The Coast Guard had previously been informed that the missing man was 35 years old. The missing man is 50 years old.

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A broken distress call as waves swamped their boat near Seward, then silence

From left: Joshua Green, Caleb Green, and Hayden Green. (Courtesy Tim Green)

U.S. Coast Guard officials say they tracked an aluminum boat carrying four people in rough seas miles from Seward for hours before what started as a daylong fishing trip turned into a disaster last week.

The 22-foot Hewescraft was taking on water in Aialik Bay, where the group spent the night in a sheltered cove after dangerous conditions and foul weather prevented them from getting home the day before. Mariners in the area described 10- or 12-foot waves and winds gusting to 30 mph.

The Coast Guard was checking in with the boat every half-hour for five hours with no reports of trouble, a spokesman said this week.

But then, just before 7:45 a.m. last Wednesday, came the broken radio transmission with “need help” as the only words watchstanders could make out, according to Lt. Cmdr. Mike Salerno, spokesman for the 17th Coast Guard District.

A Coast Guard helicopter that launched from Kodiak arrived just over two hours later, Salerno said.

By then, the boat had capsized near the mouth of Aialik Bay, leaving one man dead and three others missing.

The body of Soldotna resident Hayden Green, 29, was recovered by a tour boat about three hours after the distress call went out, authorities have said. The helicopter crew spotted the vessel and asked the Major Marine Tours catamaran carrying 80 passengers to bring Green’s body to shore before diverting to Seward to refuel, officials said.

Troopers identified the three missing as Joshua Green, 60, of Seward; his son Caleb Green, 29, of Anchorage; and Melanie Porter, 60, of Seward. Hayden Green was Josh Green’s nephew.

Concerns surface about Coast Guard future

Local officials say the incident reflects the potential for trouble in a community that attracts scores of visitors to its waters every summer, especially given questions surrounding the future of the Cutter Mustang, the Coast Guard vessel home-ported in the city since 1986.

Bob Barnwell, a Seward City Council member and experienced mariner, said that conversations with officials in Washington, D.C., have indicated Seward could go without a home-ported vessel for several years.

“They have no idea what boating in Gulf of Alaska is like,” he said. “I just think having a boat in proximity to this area is fundamentally important. They said the helicopter out of Kodiak is available.”

The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Mustang is docked Tuesday, August 2, 2016, in Seward Boat Harbor. (Erik Hill / ADN)

The 110-foot patrol vessel responds to rescues as well as fuel spills and other calls.

Asked why the Mustang didn’t respond to last week’s incident, Salerno said Coast Guard patrol boats rotate between scheduled operational periods, maintenance periods, and “ready” status. In this case, the Cutter Naushon home-ported in Homer was the “ready” cutter and was sent to the search area, he said.

The Coast Guard plans to decommission the Mustang and replace it, officials said, though they could not provide a timeline.

Salerno said this week that he has no specifics on decommissioning plans. The agency is modernizing and replacing the aging patrol boats with 154-foot fast cutters, he said.

Local officials say they’ve heard different updates from Coast Guard and other federal officials.

Losing a local Coast Guard vessel, even for a short amount of time, is concerning, said Kat Sorensen, Seward’s city manager. Without a cutter physically based in Seward, residents and visitors would need to always rely on helicopters and vessels based in other coastal communities like Kodiak or Homer.

“I definitely think it is a concern for a community that spends so much time on the water and has so many people from all across the world coming up to spend time on the water,” Sorensen said. “We are, as a community, grateful and happy with the Coast Guard presence we have in Seward.”

Check-ins every 30 minutes before final call

Josh Green’s brother this week said he and his brother shared the 22-foot Ocean Pro that went down at the mouth of Aialik Bay.

The Green family moved to Alaska in 1974. Josh Green and his siblings graduated from Anchorage’s East High School. Green retired as an Anchorage School District administrator but was teaching special education students in Seward, his brother Tim said.

Former wrestlers at Bartlett High School described Josh Green as a beloved coach who reached hundreds of young people. A GoFundMe established to help Green’s widow had raised more than $11,000 by Thursday.

The group was probably fishing for halibut and rockfish, maybe trolling for feeder kings, Tim Green said this week. His brother had just met Porter through a mutual landlord, he said: “Like he did with many people, even strangers, he invited her fishing.”

Coast Guard officials say they were alerted to a potential problem by a family member. Hayden Green’s fiance realized the boat was overdue and reached out to his father, who called the Coast Guard, according to Tim Green.

The Coast Guard “immediately began trying to locate the vessel,” Salerno wrote in an email this week. They made radio contact just after 2 a.m. Wednesday “and confirmed the vessel and four passengers were not in distress and not requesting any assistance. At this time the Coast Guard maintained radio contact with the vessel every 30 minutes while they awaited favorable weather to transit back to Seward.”

The last clear message the Coast Guard received from the boat came at 7:10 a.m. Wednesday, Salerno said: There had been no changes and the boat was safely anchored.

Tim Green said that’s when his brother told them that he had motored out to test the conditions but it was still rough. Then he missed the next radio check-in.

The distress call came at 7:43 a.m., according to the Coast Guard.

Another mariner in the area last week told Tim Green he saw more logs than he’s ever seen. Green said it’s possible the boat hit a log that sheared off the propeller, cutting the power and leaving the boat at the mercy of the waves.

He said he’s spent 40 years going in and out of Seward to hunt and fish and his brother was well aware of taking personal responsibility for safety.

But, Green said, he’s also personally witnessed the vital role the Coast Guard plays. Some years ago, he watched the agency rescue hypothermic sailors near Seward within an hour of a call for help.

“That’s something they wouldn’t have been able to do out of Homer,” he said.

Zaz Hollander

Zaz Hollander is a veteran journalist based in the Mat-Su and is currently an ADN local news editor and reporter. She covers breaking news, the Mat-Su region, aviation and general assignments. Contact her at [email protected].

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8 rescued after boat capsizes off Gulf of Mexico

Video from a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter shows a dramatic rescue at sea.

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Searchers find body of man who jumped off boat in Norton Reservoir

L ate Monday night, authorities recovered the body of a man who jumped off a boat and went missing in the Norton Reservoir during the evening, officials said.

The man, believed to be about 40, was reported missing in the reservoir around 7:30 p.m. the Norton Fire Department said in a statement early Tuesday morning. His body was found around 11 p.m. by state Environmental Police using sonar equipment and was recovered by State Police divers, the statement said.

Authorities have identified the man but are not releasing his name pending the notification of his family, Norton Deputy Police Chief Todd M. Jackson said in a separate statement.

When emergency responders arrived at the reservoir, two men on the boat told officers that a third had jumped off at about 6:30 p.m., according to Jackson.

“It looked like it wasn’t an accidental fall out of the boat. He intentionally jumped out of the boat,” Jackson said in a news conference at the reservoir , according to video from WHDH-TV.

The men told officers they threw a lifejacket to the man in the water, but they weren’t able to reach him before he went under and failed to resurface, Jackson said. Crews began searching for the man as soon as they arrived, Jackson said.

The Bristol North Regional Dive Team, Metro-LEC Marine Unit, and a helicopter from the State Police Air Wing assisted with the search, Jackson said.

Coast Guard rescues 8 clinging to cooler after boat capsizes off Boca Grande, Florida coast

The U.S. Coast Guard rescued 7 adults and one child Saturday after the 28-foot boat they were on capsized 36 miles west of Boca Grande, off the Southwest Florida coast.

According to the Coast Guard , the boaters sent a distress call reporting their boat was sinking and activated an emergency position indicating radio beacon.

A Coast Guard Jayhawk helicopter was dispatched and zeroed in on the signal of one of the boaters' personal locator beacons, spotted the device's strobe lights and found all eight wearing life jackets while clinging to a cooler.

The aircrew hoisted the boaters from the water onto the helicopter and took them to emergency medical services at the Venice Municipal Airport. No injuries were reported, according to the Coast Guard.

"The boaters in distress carried close to every piece of lifesaving equipment we encourage the public to carry onboard their vessel,” U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer 3rd Class Santiago Gomez said .

“Life jackets, an EPIRB, a PLB, visual signaling devices and a marine grade radio with VHF-FM channel 16 improve our Coast Guard crews’ abilities to locate mariners in distress and increase the chances of a positive outcome to bring them safely home. Today marks the beginning of the 2024 Atlantic Hurricane Season , and these safe boating practices make a difference year-round.”

80-foot luxury yacht sinks off Florida coast 1 week earlier

Two people were rescued off the Florida coast one week earlier, when the 80-foot yacht they were on sank 3 miles off the St. Augustine Beach coast May 26.

The $1 million luxury vessel reportedly struck a dredge pipe piling and began taking on water.

One person was injured and the boat's owner will be responsible for arranging salvage.

Where is Boca Grande, Florida?

Boca Grande is an affluent coastal community on Gasparilla Island, northwest of Fort Myers in the Gulf of Mexico.

It sits just north of the barrier island of Cayo Costa, where Hurricane Ian made landfall on Sept. 28, 2022.

Boca Grande is known for its white sand beaches , turquoise waters, fishing and state parks.

Boating accidents in Florida

Florida led the nation in registered boats , with 1,035,911 registered in 2023, according to a Florida Fish and Wildlife report.

Collisions with fixed objects were named as the leading cause in 659 boating accidents reported in Florida in 2023. The accidents resulted in 56 fatalities.

More recently, 15-year-old  Ella Riley Adler was struck and killed by a boat in a hit-and-run  while wakeboarding in Key Biscayne on May 11, 2024.

The  driver of the boat was later identified as 78-year-old Carlos Guillermo Alonso , of Coral Gables. Alonso's attorney told USA TODAY he did not know he struck anyone on the water.

Florida boating safety tips

Florida Fish and Wildlife has these safety recommendations for Florida boaters:

• Wear a life jacket
• Be aware of your surroundings
• Designate a sober driver
• Take a Boating Safety Course
• Check your safety gear
• File a Float Plan
• Watch the Weather
• Stay with the boat
• Report boating violations and dangerous or irresponsible vessel operation to the  Wildlife Alert Program
• Know and follow  the rules

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