Missing American sailors last heard from in Mexico

Three American sailors were last heard from near Mazatlan, Mexico
They were aboard a 44-foot La Fitte sailboat named Ocean Bound
They planned a stop in Cabo San Lucas; there is no record they arrived

Updated: Apr 15, 2023 / 06:55 PM CDT

(NewsNation) — The U.S. Coast Guard and the Mexican Navy are searching for three American sailors last heard from near Mazatlan, Mexico, on April 4.

According to the Coast Guard, Kerry O’Brien, Frank O’Brien and William Gross were aboard a 44-foot La Fitte sailboat named Ocean Bound. They reportedly left Mazatlan en route to San Diego.

The sailors planned to stop in Cabo San Lucas on April 6 for provisions and to report in before continuing on to San Diego, the Coast Guard said in a release. However, they said there was no record of them arriving in Cabo San Lucas.

Search-and-rescue coordinators have contacted marinas throughout Baja, Mexico, with negative sightings of the vessel, the Coast Guard said.

“Urgent marine information broadcasts have been issued over VHF radio requesting all mariners to keep a lookout for the missing persons and vessel,” the U.S. Coast Guard said.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of the American sailors or the sailing vessel Ocean Bound is asked to contact the U.S. Coast Guard Search and Rescue Coordination Center at 510-437-3701.

The disappearance of the sailors comes about a month after the abduction of a group of Americans reportedly on a road trip to Mexico for plastic surgery.

Two of the Americans in that group were killed and two survived, while the drug gang believed to be behind the incident turned over five of its own members, who they say orchestrated the attack.

There are currently 550 Americans missing in Mexico, according to the Washington Post. That’s just a small number compared to the 112,000 Mexican nationals missing in Mexico, some even dating back a decade.

Residents of Matamoros told NewsNation that the kidnappings of Mexican nationals are common but are almost never discovered due to law enforcement corruption.

The disappearance of three American women after they crossed the border into Mexico last month still remains a mystery.

Sisters Maritza Trinidad Perez Rios, Marina Perez Rios and their friend Dora Alicia Cervantes Saenz traveled from Penitas, Texas, to the city of Montemorelos. It’s about a three-hour drive from the border.

The two sisters from Texas and a friend crossed the border to sell clothes at a flea market but never returned.

The FBI said it is aware that the three have gone missing, and their families have been in touch with Mexican authorities. Their fate, however, has garnered relatively little publicity.

Jorge Ventura, Devan Markham and Sean Noone contributed to this report.