Coast Guard suspends search for crew member missing in Eastern Pacific

The U.S. Coast Guard suspended its search Saturday night for a crew member reported lacking from the cutter Waesche whereas working within the Japanese Pacific Ocean “pending the event of recent data,” the service mentioned.

Seaman Bryan Ok. Lee, 23, was found “unaccounted for” Tuesday morning whereas the cutter was conducting a “routine” counter-drug patrol about 300 nautical miles south of Mexico, the service mentioned in a Monday launch. The cutter instantly deviated from its patrol and initiated a complete search effort.

“Our most heartfelt condolences to the household and buddies of Seaman Lee,” mentioned Cmdr. David Stern, search-and-rescue mission coordinator for Coast Guard District Eleven. “Contemplating all pertinent components and out there data, we made the tough resolution to droop the search. This case has been terribly difficult, and the choice to droop the search pending new data isn’t a simple alternative. We’re grateful for the assist from our items and companions who searched a major area of the Pacific Ocean.”

Particulars about Lee’s service report weren’t instantly out there.

Waesche and different property looked for Lee for almost 190 hours, masking greater than 19,000 sq. nautical miles, the service mentioned.

Along with Waesche’s embarked helicopter and unmanned plane system, responding property included Customs and Border Safety Sprint-8 plane from Joint Interagency Process Drive – South, C-130 plane from the Air Drive and Coast Guard and Mexican Navy Maritime Patrol Plane and Offshore Patrol Vessel.