The Coast Guard has suspended its search for three missing American sailors just more than two weeks after they disappeared during a sailing expedition from Mexico to San Diego.
Married couple Kerry and Frank O’Brien, along with their friend William Gross, left Mazatlán on Mexico’s Pacific Coast on April 4 aboard Ocean Bound, a 44-foot fiberglass boat. They intended to stop in Cabo San Lucas a few days later on April 6 to gather more provisions, but they never arrived.
The Coast Guard launched an “exhaustive” search shortly thereafter to no avail.
The trio of sailors, with a combined 90 years experience, have not been seen or heard from since their departure earlier this month.
“Unfortunately, we found no evidence of the three Americans’ whereabouts or what might have happened,” Coast Guard Cmdr. Gregory Higgins said in a statement. “Our deepest sympathies go out to the families and friends of William Gross, Kerry O’Brien and Frank O’Brien.”
The Coast Guard said both Mexican forces and U.S. assets spent a total of 281 hours searching about 200,000 square nautical miles — an area larger than California — before calling off the search. The Canadian Coast Guard also lent their assistance.
Officials used the tragedy to emphasize the importance of providing loved ones with a “float plan” or itinerary, which in this case allowed “the U.S Coast Guard to be notified when the missing sailors did not check in with family.” The agency also urged sailors to carry a registered 406MHZ electronic position indicating radio beacon (EPIRB) for automatic notification in emergencies.
The family is asking for privacy at this time, the release said.
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