Search fails to locate Deng

A helicopter and an unmanned aerial drone were used yesterday to assist a search and rescue team look for Chinese businessman Jian Zhu Deng, who remains missing two days after going spear fishing at Banzai Cliff in Marpi Monday night.

The search is expected to resume this morning, Thursday, according to Marvin Seman, special assistant for Homeland Security and Emergency Management.

“Right now our search is basically from Wing Beach all the way to Cow Town and back again to open ocean,” Seman told Saipan Tribune yesterday afternoon.

Seman, assisted by Jesse Aldan of the CNMI Homeland Security, operated yesterday afternoon their unmanned aerial drone to get videos and photos along the cliff lines.

Seman said they started using the drone on Tuesday for the aerial assessment to determine their next course of action, which was to get the helicopter to provide them additional distance and capability.

A command post was established in the field across the Mariana Resort and Spa because of availability of telephone and radio signals in the area.

Seman said this ensures that they have communication with the U.S. Coast Guard and government agencies such as Department of Public Safety’s Boating Safety Unit, Commonwealth Ports Authority’s Ports Police, and Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services.

Seman said firefighters concentrated on the land-based coastal area.

“So we have the water side searching and we also have a search of the jagged cliff lines,” he said.

Seman said they have the support from the Coast Guard with its Naval Helicopter Squadron HSC-25 since yesterday morning.

He said Deng’s family has been taking part in the search as well.

“We are trying to caution them because of the weather and the situation, the cliff line and jagged area,” Seman said.

DPS Boating Safety Unit commander Sgt. Thomas Blas said they sent out their fireboat and rescue boat, while CPA joined the search with their harbor patrol boat.

Blas said Boating Safety officers aboard jet skis went as close as they can to the cliff line.

“But as you can see we have huge waves breaking the cliff line and that’s preventing us from getting any closer and at the same time it’s creating so much confusion in the water,” he said in an interview at Banzai Cliff.

Blas said they have not deployed divers since Tuesday because of the water condition. He said there is a high surf warning since Tuesday and it may continue today, Thursday.

Blas said they have a boat waiting for the water to calm down.

He said it was their first time to use a drone in the search and rescue operation and that it’s been very helpful. Usually, they would send people to walk down the cliff lines, but now there is no need for that since the drone flies over and takes photos.

Aside from a helicopter, the Coast Guard also deployed their cutter, Washington, to assist in the search.

Acting DPS spokesman Jason Tarkong said police were notified that Deng was missing on Tuesday at 8:31am.

Tarkong said the 51-year-old Deng left home Monday at 6pm to go fishing at Banzai Cliff and never returned home.

Deng’s wife, Fuwen Zhang, discovered him missing when she woke up on Tuesday.

Deng’s Nissan Pathfinder was discovered by family members still parked at Banzai Cliff on Tuesday morning.

Tarkong said high surf is hampering the search efforts.

Deng is manager of the family-owned Deng Shi Auto Shop in Garapan. A known good swimmer, Deng started fishing since 2009 or 2010. Three of the couple’s four children were born on Saipan, while the eldest was born in China.