US Coast Guard, Mexican Navy search for trio of missing American sailors

The U.S. Coast Guard is assisting the Mexican Navy in efforts to locate three American sailors who were last heard from April 4, according to a statement Friday from the United States Coast Guard District 11.

The missing sailors, Kerry O'Brien, Frank O'Brien, and William "Bill" Gross, set off from Mazatlán in Mexico en route to San Diego.

Their plan was to stop off in Cabo San Lucas April 6 for provisions and to report in before reembarking on their journey to San Diego. The distance between Mazatlán and Cabo San Lucas is about 195 nautical miles.

All three were experienced sailors, according to a statement from Gross' family acquired by CBS San Diego affiliate KNSD. The O'Briens hold Captain's licenses with the USCG and have 20 years of experience sailing together. Gross reportedly has over 50 years of sailing experience.

The trio were aboard a sailing vessel called Ocean Bound, pictured above. Ocean Bound is a 44-foot La Fitte.

Cell phone pings April 4 place the sailors between Mazatlán and Cabo San Lucas, according to a joint statement from the sailors' families. Short calls to marinas in Cabo San Lucas suggest they may have been unsuccessful in securing slip reservations in marinas there.

The families also say the USCG is following a "travel projection" based on where they would likely be if they lost radio contact and decided to carry on up the Baja Peninsula toward their final destination of San Diego.

Long aircraft sweeps along the Baja Peninsula are underway, according to the statement.

"The sailing community has hundreds of additional vessels looking for our family members," the families said, thanking the USCG for their search and rescue operations.

"Please help us bring Kerry, Frank and Bill home," the family pleaded in their message to anyone who might have any information.

Marinas throughout Baja Mexico have been contacted by search and rescue teams. In addition, urgent marine warnings have been broadcast over VHF asking all mariners to be on the lookout for Gross and the O'Briens, according to KNSD.

Both the Mexican Army and the USCG are seeking information on the whereabouts of the missing sailors and their sailing vessel, the Ocean Bound. The USCG asks anyone with information to contact the search and rescue coordinator at 510-437-3701.

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