By Roslyn Flaherty
On October 1st during Hurricane Joaquin, a 40-year-old U.S.-flagged cargo ship named El Faro was headed to Puerto Rico from Jacksonville, Florida when it went missing near the Bahamas with 33 people aboard the ship. There were 28 Americans aboard and five Polish nationals. The Coast Guard spotted one body floating in a survival suit during its search, but no survivors have been found.
The National Transportation Safety Board confirmed Monday that wreckage was found at the bottom of the ocean over the weekend belonging to El Faro. According to Fox News, the wreckage was found in 15,00 feet of water east of the Bahamas.
The NTSB said on Twitter that survey of the area and vessel with continue. A remotely operated vehicle called CURV-21 will use a video camera to look at the wreckage as well as attempt to locate the ships “black box.”
According to CNN , the NTSB has said that the CURV-21’s mission is expected to last 15 days under optimal conditions.
The ships captain Michael Davidson reported that the ship had lost its engine power. The ship also sent out three different distress signals according to ABC News. Four families have filed lawsuits against the ship’s owner, Tote Marine and its captain Michael Davidson. According to ABC News, “they allege the company failed to maintain the aged ship properly, and made decisions to sail with a strong storm brewing offshore that imperiled the lives of the crew.”
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