Cargo ship El Faro believed to have sunk during hurricane

The US Coast Guard said on Monday that it assumes the cargo ship El Faro, which went missing last week with 33 people on board, sank in bad weather associated with Hurricane Joaquin.

The U.S. Coast Guard said the 790-foot El Faro probably sank near the Bahamas Thursday while battling Hurricane Joaquin.

“If the vessel did sink on Thursday, and that crew was able to abandon ship they would have been abandoning ship in a Category 4 hurricane“, Fedor said.

A 10 a.m. (1400 GMT) news conference is planned in Miami on Monday to provide an update on the search, the Coast Guard said. The body’s remains were in a “survival suit” – which helps crew members float and avoid hypothermia – and could not be recovered.

“We are still looking for survivors or any sign of life”, he said.

Although the entire ship is yet to be found, the evidence now points to the tragic loss of 33 crew members, adding to the already sorrowing loss of life from Hurricane Joaquin.

Three Coast Guard cutters, two C-130 aircraft, helicopters, commercial tugboats and a U.S. Navy plane were continuing to search across a wide expanse of Atlantic Ocean near Crooked Island in the Bahamas. “We are searching for any signs of life for that vessel”.

Late Saturday night, Coast Guard crews located a life ring belonging to the missing container ship about 75 miles northeast of the ship’s last know position.

The waiting game has been very hard on the families of the El Faro’s missing crew members, although Bobillot says she knew that life at sea was always a risk. The ship’s owner, TOTE Maritime Puerto Rico, lost all communication with the ship last Thursday, and no one aboard has been heard from since. The ship was headed toward San Juan, Puerto Rico, after it had departed Jacksonville, Florida on September 29.

Family of crew members gathered in Jacksonville at the Seafarer’s worldwide Union hall.

“We continue to hold out hope for survivors”, its statement said.

Greene said the captain, whose name has not been released, had conferred with the El Faro’s sister ship – which was returning to Jacksonville along a similar route – and determined the weather was good enough to go forward.

“This is certainly one of the more hard days we are going to have on campus”, said Admiral Fran McDonald, MMA President. The following day, the Coast Guard found large debris that appeared to include material from the ship, along with oil on the surface of the water.

Chief Petty Officer Bobby Nash said search teams have had to weather 150-mph gusts, 30-foot waves and heavy rain.

The company defended its decision to authorize the voyage.

Shultz’s mother told WBBH that she believes her son, a Merchant Marine for 30 years, is alive along with the rest of the crew, but is anxious that supplies are running out. “He would not have put the life of his crew in danger, and would not have out his own life in danger, had he known there was danger out there”.