Mexican Navy Suspends Search for ‘Ocean Bound’
A press release issued by the US Coast Guard advises that the Mexican navy’s search for three missing American sailors and their boat Ocean Bound has been suspended.
“The U.S. Coast Guard has been informed that the Mexican Navy (SEMAR) has suspended their search for three American mariners aboard the sailing vessel Ocean Bound, which was last heard from on April 4 near Mazatlán, Mexico.”
“The search was suspended pending further developments after SEMAR and U.S. Coast Guard responders conducted 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.
“’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,’ said Cmdr. Gregory Higgins, command center chief, Coast Guard District 11. ‘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. Our deepest sympathies go out to the families and friends of William Gross, Kerry O’Brien and Frank O’Brien.’”
The USCG wrote, “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. It also underscores the importance of carrying a registered 406MHz electronic position indicating radio beacon (EPIRB) for automatic notification in emergencies.”
Ocean Bound left Mazatlán at around 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, April 4, and headed west across the Sea of Cortez en route to San Diego. The crew had planned to stop in Cabo San Lucas on April 6 to check in and reprovision, but they did not report in or arrive in Cabo San Lucas, and have not been heard from since.
Search and rescue coordinators contacted marinas throughout Baja, Mexico, and urgent marine information broadcasts were issued over VHF radio but resulted in no additional information. According to Douglas Samp, Search and Rescue Program Manager US Coast Guard Pacific Area, there was no EPIRB registered to the boat.
ABC10 News reached out to the Lafitte’s designer, Bob Perry, to ask how the boat would have fared in rough sea conditions. Perry spoke positively of the boat’s ability to withstand the seas and winds said to have been prevalent at the time of Ocean Bound’s voyage (as we understand, 30+ knot winds and 15- 20-ft seas). “You’re not out there enjoying yourself in those conditions,” Perry said, “but you should not be in survival mode.” He told the reporter that other possibilities include fire or collision.
At this point, all sailors are fearing the worst but hoping for the best. These are three capable sailors aboard a capable boat in breezy but not stormy conditions. As we all know, it’s possible they may have had engine or communications failures and could have decided to proceed offshore under sail. They may have decided to do the clipper route, going well offshore. While the circumstances appear unfavorable, it is hard to give up hope until some confirmation of loss is made.
I’m distressed with the missing boat and crew and my heart goes out to their families.
With weather forecasting as it is these days, I wonder if the sever weather (25-30 kts of wind and 20′ seas) was never forecasted, or did they just not consult weather predictions?
Could they have been hijacked?
I strongly hope they are found.
We departed Mazatlan for La Paz on 4/6 after watching PredictWind forecasts that look bad for about 3 days. The forecast wasn’t as bad as the conditions reported but I’ve found that to be the case on this crossing. When we left the forecast was for 8-10Knots and 3-4 feet calming for the next few days. We saw double the forecast for 24 hours. Unpleasant but not dangerous.
I’m surprised about the lack of a registered EPIRB and wonder about a life raft aboard.
Very sad.
15- 20-ft seas in the sea of cortez?
We saw 40 knots and 20′ seas between San Evaristo and Isla San Francisco during the second day of a Norther. It wasn’t fun, but for about six hours, the boat sailed through it on a broad reach with the Monitor steering.
We got pooped a couple of times,but I was sailing in my skivvies and it was 80 degrees and sunny.
We don’t know what happened, of course, and I still hope all three of them somehow turn up soon. I am reminded that in such seas the worst thing I could be is surprised by a 20-foot wave while broadside to it. I have read that a wave as high as your boat is wide will capsize the boat. If capsized without hatch boards and main hatch cover securely closed, I shudder to think about how fast the boat would flood upside down, until more wave motion and the weight of the keel rolled it back upright…
Knowing people who have it happen, in different areas, one wonders whether a whale collision could have happened. Another observation about moving South is that there are more and more boats that do not display ANY lights at night. Fingers crossed and hoping they are found and in good health…
Done that Delivery many times Most important is a weather window Sea state &if the shrimp boats are anchored They Know.Good luck the chief
This is really tragic. Curious that there is no mention of EPIRB, PLB, Liferaft, AIS, Iridium GO or In Reach. Most offshore cruising boats we see in our travels have most if not all of these safety items. Liferafts, EPIRB are mostly hydrostatic release types. One would think that even in the most egregious situation at least one or more of these would deploy.