El Faro cargo ship sunk: Body found in search for missing cargo ship

Originally published on 05 October, 2015

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The U.S. Coast Guard said its crews found a body and an empty, heavily damaged lifeboat in their search for the cargo ship El Faro, believed to have sunk after it went missing off the Bahamas in Hurricane Joaquin.

Rescuers are no longer looking for the ship, but are continuing the search for survivors, Coast Guard Captain Mark Fedor said.

Crews were unable to identify the body, found wearing a survival suit on Sunday, Fedor said.

The recovered lifeboat was one of two from the cargo ship, each with a capacity for 43 people.

There were also reports of survival suits and life rafts being found that were checked for signs of life.

On Sunday, the Coast Guard spotted two large debris fields containing items identified as coming from El Faro, including cargo doors, styrofoam and 55-gallon drums.

The 735-foot (224-meter) container ship had left Jacksonville, Florida on Tuesday, for San Juan, Puerto Rico.

On Thursday, it reported losing propulsion, listing at 15 degrees and taking on water after sailing into the path of the hurricane off Crooked Island in the Bahamas.

The Coast Guard said the ship has not been heard from since it sent a distress call Thursday morning.

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