'Missing' Crew Member Found Onboard After Two Day Search

In the early hours of June 25th, a bulk carrier, the Daiwan Glory, sent out a distress signal via the Japanese Coast Guard. The vessel reported that a crew member had fallen overboard approximately 607 nautical miles south of Guam, situated between Guam and Papua New Guinea.

The U.S. Coast Guard Joint Rescue Sub-Center (JRSC) in Guam was notified the same day, at around 1:30 pm local time. It was noted that the missing crew member was last seen at approximately 9:45 am without wearing a life jacket.

The crew of the vessel initiated a search operation, retracing the ship’s path in an effort to locate the missing individual.

By the evening of June 25th, two commercial vessels, Kota Gabung and Golden Hope, had joined the search efforts. On June 26th, another vessel, Hupeh, on its way to Australia, offered assistance, and an LNG tanker, Cesi Beihai, also joined the search.

The Australian Defence Force contributed to the search by deploying a P-8A aircraft for aerial reconnaissance. Additionally, the U.S. Coast Guard dispatched an HC-130 Hercules aircraft to assist in the search efforts.

Two days later, on June 27th, the captain of the Daiwan Glory informed JRSC Guam that the missing crew member had been found safe aboard the vessel. The circumstances surrounding the crew member's disappearance for two days remain unclear