Desperate search for three missing American men who vanished while sailing off Mexico coast

Kerry O’Brien, Frank O’Brien and William Gross were last heard from on 4 April

The US Coast Guard and the Mexican Navy are searching for three American men who went missing while sailing off the coast of Mexico.

The men have been identified as Kerry O’Brien, Frank O’Brien and William Gross, the US Coast Guard said in a statement on Friday. They were last heard from on 4 April while sailing near Mazatlan in western Mexico.

They were onboard the Ocean Bound, a 44-foot La Fitte sailboat, and were en route to San Diego. The alarm was raised after the men failed to show up at their planned to stop in Cabo San Lucas on 6 April.

The men were expected to pick up provisions and report in, but there is no record of them arriving at the checkpoint.

According to ABC News, the sailing distance from Mazatlan to Cabo is more than 200 miles. The Mexican Navy is now assisting in the search.

“Search and rescue coordinators have contacted marinas throughout Baja, Mexico, with negative sightings of the vessel,” the US Coast Guard said in a statement.

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

Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of the missing sailors is asked to contact the US Coast Guard search and rescue coordination centre at 510-437-3701.