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.

Published 2 years ago

From Boat Watch Website and Facebook Group

On Passage from Mazatlan to San Diego

The SV Ocean Bound left Mazatlan on Tuesday April 4 and was enroute to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico for the evening. It had then planned to head north to San Diego, California.

The families of those on board the SV Ocean Bound with the help of BoatWatch, have been asking people in Southern California, in the region of Baja and into South America, for any information on the missing vessel.

Kerry O’Brien, Frank O’Brien and Bill Gross are all experienced sailors. Bill has over 50 years of sailing experience and is an extremely talented coastal cruiser. Kerry and Frank have 20 years sailing together and both hold Captains licenses with the US Coast Guard.

Ocean Bound is a sturdy older vessel and by many accounts is one of the best sailboats ever constructed. It can be argued that by today’s standards it is lacking technology. There is also an argument for these sailors who’ve been reading star charts and coastal navigation for most of their lives.

SV Ocean Bound departed Mazatlan Mexico on Tuesday 4/4/2023 at approximately 9:30am with a Westward heading across the Sea of Cortez, a short stop had been planned in Cabo San Lucas and then to sail up the coast of Baja to San Diego, California.

When the three did not check in by the weekend a report was made to the US Coast Guard.  Cell phone pings on 4/4/2023 show off the coast of Mazatlan as calls 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. This is the last known contact of Kerry, Frank and Bill.

There has been no radio contact to or from Ocean Bound and her crew.

The Mexican Navy (CMAR/SEMAR) were working with the United States Coast Guard (USCG) in search and rescue operations, however on 19 April the search was suspended pending further developments. 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.

The USCG has a current “travel projection” if Ocean Bound simply lost radio contact and continued her journey to San Diego at just North or South of Turtle Bay (Bahia Tortuga) on the Baja Peninsula and were focused on searching there, in addition to long aircraft sweeps along the Baja Peninsula.

The “drift projection”, if Ocean Bound became disabled, is focused by CMAR/SEMAR in a 100 mile area South to Southeast of Cabo San Lucas. This is around the waters near Puerto Vallarta.

Ocean Bound is a 45 foot La Fitte with a black hull and with a red stripe. All vessels are requested to keep a sharp lookout and make all reports to the USCG.
On board the SV are Kerry O’Brien, Frank O’Brien and Bill Gross.
RCC ALAMEDA
510-437-3701
RCCALAMEDA1@USCG.MIL

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BoatWatch’s safety resource page has a sample float plan and useful yacht safety information.

Experienced cruiser Viki Moore also gives some sound advice on how to help your friends and family help you when offshore passagemaking.

Related News:

• US Coast Guard Seeks Information on Missing Sailors (USCG)
• SV Ocean Bound Reported Missing (Latitude 38)
• San Diego-bound sailors missing (Los Angeles Times)

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Related Links:

• Boatwatch Facebook
• Boatwatch Website
• US Coast Guard