Advertiser Staff

The Coast Guard has suspended the search for three men who were lost in stormy seas on Wednesday near Midway.

The search was suspended at 5 p.m. yesterday. Heavy seas swept the men off the 500-foot container ship, the Cherokee Princess, 506 miles west of Midway.

Emmanuel Suren, Alberto Cagata, both 35, and Giles Limalima, 26, apparently were not wearing lifejackets.

A Coast Guard C-130 plane from Barbers Point arrived on the scene at noon on Thursday and searched until 1:40 p.m. when heavy weather hindered its search efforts.

Twelve- to 18-foot seas and 19- to 35-mph winds forced the Hamburg Senator and the Pugwash Senator, two civilian ships that helped the Coast Guard in the search, to leave the scene at about 12 a.m. today. The ships are part of the Automated Mutual Assistance Vessel Rescue System.