The Republic of the Marshall Islands has suspended the search for a missing sea ambulance and its four crew members after exhaustive efforts yielded no results. The 37-foot vessel, carrying a captain, nurse practitioner, health assistant, and community health outreach worker, departed Majuro on March 3, 2025, en route to Mili Atoll for a tuberculosis screening campaign. The crew was last heard from on the same day, and the vessel failed to arrive at its destination or return to Majuro as scheduled.
In response, a comprehensive search operation was launched, coordinated by the U.S. Coast Guard’s Joint Rescue Coordination Center (JRCC) in Honolulu. The operation involved multiple assets, including a U.S. Navy P-8 Poseidon aircraft from Kadena Air Base in Japan, a U.S.
Coast Guard HC-130 Hercules airplane from Air Station Barbers Point in Hawai’i, and two Republic of the Marshall Islands Sea Patrol vessels, RMIS Lomor 02 and Lomor 03. Over six days, these teams conducted 16 search missions, covering approximately 52,931 square nautical miles—an area roughly the size of Arkansas—without any sightings of the missing vessel.
The search faced challenging conditions, including higher sea states with larger swells, which hindered visibility and search efforts. Despite these obstacles, the teams remained committed to locating the missing crew. Chief Warrant Officer Sara Muir of the U.S. Coast Guard Forces Micronesia/Sector Guam expressed deep sympathy for the families and the Marshallese community, stating, “We stand with the families and the Republic of the Marshall Islands community in their grief. Our Navy and Marshallese partners poured extraordinary s and resolve into this search across a vast Pacific expanse. Suspending active efforts doesn’t diminish our respect for these mariners’ lives or the hope that answers may still come.”
The missing vessel was equipped with communication and navigation systems capable of sending a distress call, but no signal was received. The crew was also carrying life jackets, a signal kit with flares, a torch, reflector mirrors, over 200 gallons of fuel, a VHF radio, radar, GPS, and a satellite phone. However, the vessel lacked an Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) or Personal Locator Beacon (PLB), which are standard safety equipment for ocean-going craft.
The Marshall Islands Health Ministry confirmed that debris from the missing vessel had been found washed up at Imiej, Jaluit Atoll. Local authorities and community networks remain engaged in monitoring coastal areas for further findings. The search has been suspended pending any new developments, and anyone with information or sightings is urged to contact the JRCC Honolulu watch toll-free at 1-800-331-6176.
The incident has raised questions about the safety protocols for sea ambulances operating in the region, particularly regarding the absence of EPIRBs or PLBs on board. The Marshall Islands government has indicated that search efforts will intensify based on the latest developments and is committed to locating the missing vessel and its crew.
Do you think the Marshall Islands should continue the search for the missing sea ambulance and crew, or is it time to focus on other priorities?
I cant believe theyre stopping the search already! What if theyre still out there? Hope they reconsider. #NeverGiveUp 🙏
Do you think more resources should be allocated to search and rescue operations in remote areas like the Marshall Islands?
Do you think the search efforts should continue indefinitely, or is it time to accept the unfortunate outcome? Lets discuss.
What a tragic situation. Shouldnt there be more support for search efforts in emergencies like this? #MarshallIslands #SeaAmbulance
Shouldnt they continue the search until they find closure for the families? It feels too soon to give up.