The Families of ‘Ocean Bound’ Issue a Public Statement

On April 17 we reported that the Lafitte 44 Ocean Bound and her crew had been missing at sea for around 10 days. Kerry O’Brien, Frank O’Brien and William Gross left Mazatlán, Mexico, for San Diego on April 4, with a planned stop at Cabo San Lucas on April 6, to check in and reprovision. When Ocean Bound missed her check-in and had not been heard from, the crew’s families alerted the US Coast Guard and appealed to the community for news of the missing boat.

Responders spent many days planning and executing search grids and monitoring communications, to no avail. There has been no sight of, or signal from, Ocean Bound since the reported cell phone “pings” on April 4 that were believed to be calls from the vessel to marinas in Cabo San Lucas. “All calls were short and it’s presumed they were trying to make slip/ball reservations. Based on the short calls they were unsuccessful,” Melissa Spicuzza of San Diego wrote in a Facebook post asking for the sailing community’s help.

On April 21 we shared the news that the search for Ocean Bound had been suspended. Mariners, both at sea and on land, have continued to keep watch and maintain hope that the sailors will be found in good health. Meanwhile, their families have had to come to terms with the situation and have published the following statement.

Facebook, April 21, 2023:

“The families of William Gross, Kerry O’Brien, and Frank O’Brien humbly and gratefully thank everyone involved in the search of our loved ones including but not limited to: Commander Gregory Higgins, District 11 command chief for his unwavering support of our families in this intensely difficult time. We feel as though you’ve become a part of our family and our hearts will always be with you. Everyone at District 11 has given us a level of compassion, kindness and professionalism that is unparalleled to anything we’ve ever experienced. To the men and women serving District 11, Coast Guard Air Station Sacramento C-27 Spartan aircraft, Coast Guard Cutter Active, and Coast Guard Cutter Benjamin Bottoms we will forever feel indebted to [you] kind souls who protect the citizens of this country who journey into the oceans here and abroad. The call of the ocean and the call to serve requires a special individual, we thank you for being that person.

“To those serving in the Mexican Navy (SEMAR) Kerry, Frank and William are not citizens of your country and you searched hundreds of thousands of miles of ocean and shoreline to find them and Ocean Bound inside your waters. We are truly humbled and thankful that you treated our family as your own. To those men and women aboard the SEMAR 47-foot Motor Lifeboats, 33-foot Response Boat, SEMAR naval vessels, and Air King 350ER, thank you for providing such an extensive search. Your loyalty, pride and service to the citizens of Mexico and those visiting your famously beautiful cities are blessed to have you protecting her waters.

“To the men and women of the Canadian naval vessel, HMCS Edmonton. Sailors hear the call and sailors respond. Hearing of your efforts to lend a hand in the search of Frank, Kerry and William was awe inspiring, thank you for your service of the citizens of Canada and thank you from these humbled citizens of America.

“Knowing that our family members have been part of a multinational search is not something we take for granted, it shows the kind of commitment and cooperation we all will praise in the years to come. Thank you to all who serve their countries at sea, on shore and abroad.

“The official search for Ocean Bound has been suspended at this time. Although this was devastating news for our families, we support the decision of SEMAR and the USCG. The search was exhaustive, heavily saturated in the Sea of Cortez between Mazatlán, Cabo [San] Lucas and Puerto Vallarta. No evidence of Ocean Bound or her crew have been found thus far. The waters and ports along the Pacific coast of the Baja Peninsula have been contacted, searched and reported in repeatedly. We understand that the search could not go on forever and the ocean is a big place. We feel confident in the efforts of all agencies and even though we haven’t found Ocean Bound or her crew we can seek solace in that they have done everything anyone could do to find them.

“To the community of sailors of all vessels who’ve searched, reported, reached out, shared and posted to aid in the search of Ocean Bound, Kerry, Frank and William, we know your search will not end. Those with salty air in our lungs and hearts will never stop hearing the call to keep a sharp lookout.

“As stated by the USCG we wholeheartedly support and encourage the use of a sail plan and an EPIRB when you sail or motor away from home. We do not in any way want the story of us and Ocean Bound to discourage anyone from setting sail into the unknown. The world is vast and beautiful and worth the risk of exploration. It’s magical on the ocean, wind in your hair and salt spray on your face. The vastness reminds you of how small one person is, it’s freeing to be with nature in that regard. We would only add: take a satellite phone.

“We, the Gross and O’Brien families request that this be our final message to the media and the public, barring any major developments in the story. We thank you for your dedication to getting our story out there, the message has been spread far beyond our small corner of the world. Ocean Bound and her crew are missing, but they will not be forgotten.”