Search suspended for 3 Americans last seen sailing off Mexico's coast
The trio was last seen aboard Ocean Bound, a 44-foot sailing vessel, on April 4 as they departed the Mexican resort town of Mazatlan for San Diego but never made it to their first destination along the way.
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Family members say husband and wife Frank and Kerry O’Brien and their friend William Gross are all experienced sailors.
April 20 (UPI) -- The search off Mexico's northern Pacific coast for three Americans last seen early this month leaving Mazatlan for San Diego has been suspended, authorities said.
The search for William Gross and Kerry and Frank O'Brien was called off Wednesday by the Mexican Navy pending further developments, the U.S. Coast Guard said.
"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," Cmdr. Gregory Higgins, command center chief of Coast Guard District 11, said in a statement.
"SEMAR and U.S. Coast Guard assets worked hand-in-hand for all aspects of the case. Unfortunately, we have found no evidence of the three Americans' whereabouts or what may have happened."
The search consisted of a cumulative 281 hours covering some 200,000 square nautical miles, which is an area larger than the state of California, officials said.
The trio was last seen April 4 aboard Ocean Bound, a 44-foot Lafitte sailing vessel. (U.S. Coast Guard Northern California)
The trio was last seen aboard Ocean Bound, a 44-foot Lafitte sailing vessel, on April 4 as they departed the Mexican resort town of Mazatlan, which is located in the western shoreline province of Sinaloa, for San Diego, with plans at Cabo San Lucas en route on April 6.
However, they never arrived in Cabo San Lucas and a search and rescue operation was initiated.
"Our deepest sympathies go out to the families and friends of William Gross, Kerry O'Brien and Frank O'Brien," Higgins said.
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