“The Coast Guard Sector Guam suspended the active search for the reportedly missing Quichocho family pending further developments,” the Coast Guard said in a statement.
The family of Ray Quichocho — not the Saipan lawyer — is feared dead.
Coast Guard Sector Guam spokeswoman Lt. Elizabeth Buendia said the search efforts covered 23 times the size of Guam and involved the Naval Helicopter Combat Squadron-25, a Coast Guard C-130 from Honolulu, Coast Guard Cutter Washington and Coast Guard small boats from Station Apra Harbor.
Quichocho, his wife, daughter and son, left Guam Saturday on a boat headed to Rota.
Authorities last heard of him about 10 miles off Guam’s Two Lovers Point where he reported that he was encountering big waves.
But they lost contact with him before they could extract more information about the boat’s exact location.
“Last Saturday, the Saipan Emergency Management Office reported to Sector Guam that it had received a call from a Mr. Ray Quichocho stating that he was in a vessel near Two Lovers Point that had lost one engine. He also said he was encountering ‘big waves’ and despite warnings from EMO, insisted on continuing his voyage to Rota,” said Buendia.
She said the case of the missing family is a tragic incident.
She added that it highlights the importance of filing an accurate and comprehensive float plan with a trusted friend or family member that should come handy in case of an emergency.
