US Coast Guard: ship with Polish crew sank off Bahamas
PR dla Zagranicy
Nick Hodge
06.10.2015 08:38
A container ship that went missing on Thursday with 33 crew, including 5 Poles, sank in Hurricane Joaquin off the Bahamas, according to the US Coast Guard.
Coast Guard Capt. Mark Fedor answers questions during a press conference concerning missing container ship El Faro at Coast Guard Air Station Miami, USA, 05 October 2015. EPA/Petty Officer 2nd Class Mark Barney / U.S. Coast Guard District
Capt. Mark Fedor, the Coast Guard chief of response, confirmed at a press conference that one body had been found but that rescuers will continue to look for survivors.
“We will remain hopeful that we will find survivors,” he said.
“That is our main focus as we move forward.”
The deceased crewmember found thus far from container ship El Faro was wearing a rescue suit but he was said to be “unidentifiable.”
According to a US Coast Guard press release, “a heavily damaged life boat with markings consistent with those on board the El Faro” has also been located.
Other items found to date include a partially submerged life raft, life jackets, life rings and cargo containers. An oil sheen was also spotted.
The ship had been headed for San Juan, Puerto Rico, from Jacksonville, Florida.
On Thursday, a notification was received that the vessel was in distress, after which no contact was made.
The first item to be found was a life ring near Crook Island in the Bahamas.
The search encompasses 160,574 square nautical miles. However, conditions have been treacherous. As late as Saturday, rescue crews were still facing winds of over 100 miles per hour.
It has emerged that the Poles were not officially members of the El Faro crew, but were acting as supporting crew-members. (nh/rk)