USCG Capt. Mark Fedor said one patch of debris was spotted near the last recorded coordinates of the El Faro container ship near the Bahamas. The El Faro, a US ship, was 790 feet long.
“We are still looking for survivors,” Fedor said. Nearly a dozen craft have been dispatched near the Bahamas’ Crooked Island.
Fedor said El Faro apparently lost power, making it helpless to Joaquin’s category-4 power with 140-mph winds and 50-foot waves. 391 shipping containers were aboard, possibly contributing to a top-heavy capsizing.
El Faro left Jacksonville, Florida on September 29, when Joaquin was only at Tropical Storm strength. 28 crew members from the United States and 5 from Poland were aboard, on a regular voyage to San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Contact was lost Thursday morning. The crew had called in that the ship was taking on water and was listing at 15 degrees. TOTE Maritime Puerto Rico, the ship’s owner, said that this was the last message that they received from El Faro.
Fedor announced that the National Transportation Safety Board and USCG would investigate why the ship was heading towards Hurricane Joaquin.
An orange life ring from the ship was found Saturday about 120 miles northeast of Crooked Island. Debris and oil sheen were spotted Sunday.
Family of crew members gathered in Jacksonville at the Seafarer’s International Union hall.
“I’m just praying to God they find the ship and bring my daugher and everyone on it home,” said Mary Shevory, mother of Mariette Wright, a crewmember aboard El Faro. “This is torture.”
“We’ve got to stay positive,” said Laurie Bobillot, mother of second-mate Danielle Randolph. “These kids are trained. Every week they have abandoned ship drills.”
The company defended its decision to authorize the voyage. Crew members were “equipped to handle situations such as the changing weather,” said a statement by Phil Greene, president and CEO of TOTE Services.
Greene said El Faro was built to work in the treacherous seas off of Alaska and Russia, and touted its years of service.
“She is a sturdy, rugged vessel that was well maintained and that the crew members were proud of,” said Greene.
