Coast Guard calls off search for lost boat with Murrysville native aboard

Patrick Varine
Friday, April 21, 2023 10:27 a.m. | Friday, April 21, 2023 10:27 a.m.

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Courtesy of U.S. Coast Guard via AP

This photo provided by the U.S Coast Guard on April 14, 2023, shows missing Americans Frank O’Brien, left, and Kerry O’Brien. The two Americans, joined by William Gross, were aboard the 44-foot (13.5 meter) sailing vessel “Ocean Bound,” and have not been heard from since April 4, when they were near the Pacific coast port of Mazatlan, Mexico, according to the Coast Guard.

Courtesy of U.S. Coast Guard via AP

This photo provided by the U.S Coast Guard on April 14, 2023, shows the 44-foot (13.5 meter) sailing vessel “Ocean Bound.” Three Americans, Kerry O’Brien, Frank O’Brien and William Gross, were aboard the boat and have not been heard from since April 4, when they were near the Pacific coast port of Mazatlan, Mexico, according to the Coast Guard.

After searching more than 200,000 square nautical miles, U.S. Coast Guard officials and their Mexican counterparts have called off the search for three American sailors, including a Murrysville native, whose boat was last seen April 4.

Kerry O’Brien, a 1989 Franklin Regional graduate, left Mazatlán, Mexico the morning of April 4 aboard a 44-foot La Fitte vessel named “Ocean Bound” along with her husband Frank and their friend William Gross.

Coast Guard officials said the trio was headed to San Diego, with plans to stop in Cabo San Lucas on April 6 to report in and get supplies, but did not show up there.

“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,” said Cmdr. Gregory Higgins, command center chief for Coast Guard District 11. “SEMAR and U.S. Coast Guard assets worked hand-in-hand for all aspects of the case. Unfortunately, we found no evidence of the three Americans’ whereabouts or what might have happened. Our deepest sympathies go out to the families and friends of William Gross, Kerry O’Brien and Frank O’Brien.”

Gross’s family issued a statement on April 14 noting that all three are 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,” according to the statement.

Search-and-rescue coordinators contacted marinas throughout Baja, Mexico, and urgent broadcasts were sent via VHF radio, but yielded no information or sightings.

The search was called off after 281 cumulative hours covering an area larger than the state of California, according to Coast Guard officials.

Related:

• Coast Guard, Mexican Navy searching for missing Murrysville native, 2 others