SANTA RITA, Guam — Four men aboard a 37-foot vessel, a Sea Ambulance, remain missing as of 11 a.m. ChST on March 6, 2025, prompting continued search efforts by U.S. and Marshallese responders.
The U.S. Coast Guard Joint Rescue Coordination Center (JRCC) Honolulu team continues coordinating the operation and providing search patterns for the crews involved.
Searching are:
- A U.S. Navy P-8 Poseidon and crew from Kadena Air Base, Japan
- A U.S. Coast Guard HC-130 Hercules airplane and crew from Air Station Barbers Point, Hawai'i
- The RMI Sea Patrol RMIS Lomor 02 and Lomor 03
"Searching for this vessel across the remote expanses of the Pacific tests aircrews with extreme distances and challenging conditions, but our shared commitment to this sea-connected community drives us. The people of the Pacific Islands, seasoned mariners with remarkable resilience, inspire us to persist in these efforts, even when sightings remain elusive," said Chief Warrant Officer Sara Muir, public affairs officer U.S. Coast Guard Forces Micronesia/Sector Guam.
The Poseidon crew searched for three hours on March 5 with no sightings before returning to Guam to refuel and get crew rest. Meanwhile, the Hercules crew deployed three Self-Locating Datum Marker Buoys and scoured the area for three hours, yielding no findings, before recovering in Kwajalein to rest and refuel. The RMIS Lomor 02 and 03 crews conducted all-day searches on March 5 but also reported no sightings.
The Self-Locating Datum Marker Buoys provide critical value to responders by transmitting GPS data to track set and drift, enabling precise search planning in dynamic ocean conditions.
Search operations continue into March 6. The Hercules crew departed Kwajalein for an additional search. The Poseidon crew will be airborne in the afternoon, initiating another three-hour search before recovering to Guam.
The weather for Majuro's coastal waters is forecast as east winds of 15 to 20 knots, wind waves of 3 to 4 feet, and a northeast swell of 4 to 6 feet. The swells are expected to build going into the weekend.
The JRCC Honolulu team continues to guide the multi-unit effort, adapting plans as conditions evolve in the search for the missing vessel. Anyone with relevant information or sightings that may help responders is asked to contact the JRCC watch toll-free at 1-800-331-6176.
The situation began for the U.S. Coast Guard late on March 3, 2025, when JRCC personnel received an email from an RMI SAR official reporting the Sea Ambulance overdue. The vessel, carrying four adult men, reportedly departed Majuro for Mili Atoll at midday on March 3. They did not return by evening as planned.
-USCG-
About U.S. Coast Guard District 14
U.S. Coast Guard District 14, the CoastGuard'ss largest district, ensures maritime security, safety, and economic prosperity across 14 million square miles of the Central and Western Pacific. The district team works closely with Pacific partners to support a multifaceted mission, including national defense, maritime board security, and resource protection.
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| Date Taken: |
03.06.2025 |
| Date Posted: |
03.05.2025 23:09 |
| Story ID: |
492098 |
| Location: |
MH |
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