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Coast Guard: Missing cargo ship sank in hurricane

Luke Skywalker

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An undated handout photograph made available by TOTE Maritime shows the container ship El Faro.(Photo: Tote Maritime via European Pressphoto Agency)


The cargo ship that vanished five days ago near the Bahamas sank<span style="color: Red;">*</span>in the brutal seas and high winds of<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Hurricane Joaquin, but the search for survivors will continue, the Coast Guard said Monday.
Coast Guard Capt.<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Mark Fedor said the<span style="color: Red;">*</span>790-foot container ship El Faro, with 33 people aboard, sank last week. Twenty-eight of the crew were Americans.
"We believe it sank in its last known position on Thursday," Fedor<span style="color: Red;">*</span>said. "We are still looking for survivors or any signs of life."
Fedor said aircraft searched 70,000 square nautical miles Sunday, the first day that weather allowed an intensive search. The rescue efforts are now targeting two debris fields, one about 300 square miles and another of about 70 square miles, he said.
Fedor called the survival conditions "challenging," but noted that the crew would have been well-trained at abandoning ship.
"We are not going to discount somebody's will to survive, and that is why we are<span style="color: Red;">*</span>still searching today," Fedor said.
Fedor said a<span style="color: Red;">*</span>survival suit was found Sunday with unidentifiable remains inside. He added that crews also found a heavily damaged life boat and other debris, but no survivors or other remains.<span style="color: Red;">*</span>The search was continuing Monday with a three airplanes, helicopters, tugboats and three Coast Guard cutters,<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Fedor said.
El Faro was<span style="color: Red;">*</span>caught in Hurricane Joaquin<span style="color: Red;">*</span>last week while<span style="color: Red;">*</span>traveling from Florida to<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Puerto Rico. The last communication came Thursday, when the crew reported that it had lost power, was listing at 15 degrees and was taking on water. The hurricane at that point was a Category 4, with winds in excess of 120 mph churning 50-foot waves.
Fedor said federal investigators would examine why the ship ventured into such heavy weather.
TOTE Maritime Puerto Rico, the ship's owner, issued a statement thanking the Coast Guard for leading the search and rescue efforts.
"We continue to hold out hope for survivors," the statement said. "Our prayers and thoughts go out to the family members and we will continue to do all we can to support them."
The ship<span style="color: Red;">*</span>was loaded with cars, trucks and trailers.<span style="color: Red;">*</span>The first debris from the ship was found Saturday, when the<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Coast Guard discovered<span style="color: Red;">*</span>a life ring belonging to the El Faro,<span style="color: Red;">*</span>floating about<span style="color: Red;">*</span>120 miles northeast of Crooked Island,<span style="color: Red;">*</span>about<span style="color: Red;">*</span>70 miles northeast of the ship's last known position.
The company said a container apparently from the vessel El Faro was found in the water Sunday.<span style="color: Red;">*</span>The Coast Guard said its<span style="color: Red;">*</span>aircraft spotted<span style="color: Red;">*</span>life jackets, life rings, and an oil slick.
USA TODAY
Crews spot life jackets, life rings, containers and an oil sheen in freighter search




USA TODAY
Ship with 33 aboard missing as Hurricane Joaquin slams Bahamas




Florida maritime attorney Rod Sullivan, who closely monitored the<span style="color: Red;">*</span>the El Faro incident, said El Faro should have been retired.
"In my opinion, this vessel had reached beyond its useful life," Sullivan told First Coast News.
The El Faro was built in 1975. Given its age, said Sullivan, the cargo ship should have remained in port.<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Sullivan, who never boarded the freighter, graduated from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, served five years, holds several licenses and has practiced maritime law for 35 years.
He said in the days ahead there will be litigation. But for now Sullivan said the focus should remain on the 33 lives on board the El Faro.
"Hopefully there are still some families that will have their loved ones come back to them," he said. "That's what I'm hoping for."
Contributing: Gregg Zoroya




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