Updated: Officials believe cargo ship sank; the search for survivors continues

JACKSONVILLE, Florida – The cargo ship El Faro sank, officials with the shipping company said at noon Monday.

The search for the 790-foot cargo ship El Faro began Thursday after the crew aboard alerted the U.S. Coast Guard that they had been caught in Hurricane Joaquin. Of the 33 crew members, four are from Maine, including Michael Holland of Wilton. Other Mainers reportedly on board are the ship’s Capt. Michael Davidson of Windham, Dylan Melkin and Danielle Randolph, both of Rockland.

In a press conference held on Monday, representatives of the Coast Guard said while searching in the vicinity of the ship’s last known position 35 nautical miles northeast of Crooked Islands, Bahamas, they located a deceased person in a survival suit in the water.

A heavily damaged life boat with markings consistent with those on board the El Faro was also located. Additional items located include a partially submerged life raft, life jackets, life rings, cargo containers and an oil sheen were found by Coast Guard aircrews within a 225 square nautical mile search area.

On Monday, Tim Nolan, president of TOTE Maritime Puerto Rico said, “At this point in time, the entire TOTE Maritime Puerto Rico family is distressed that it now appears the El Faro sank at or near its last known position on Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015.

He added they continue to hope that survivors will be found. “Our prayers and thoughts go out to the family members and we will continue to do all we can to support them,” he said.

Coast Guard airplanes and cutters, along with U.S. Navy aircrews and three commercial tugs, are continuing to search for survivors.

At approximately 7:30 a.m. Thursday, the Coast Guard Atlantic Area command center in Portsmouth, Virginia, received a satellite notification stating the El Faro was beset by Hurricane Joaquin, had lost propulsion and had a 15-degree list.

The crew reported the ship had previously taken on water, but that all flooding had been contained. The Coast Guard’s 7th District command center in Miami launched an HC-130 aircrew out of Clearwater, Florida, to search for the El Faro, but had to suspend their efforts Friday night due to severe weather conditions. The search resumed at daybreak on Saturday for the missing container ship.

Late Saturday night, Coast Guard crews located a life ring belonging to the missing container ship about 75 miles northeast of the ship’s last know position. On Sunday, the Coast Guard reported that various objects have been located in the vicinity of the ship’s last known position 35 nautical miles northeast of Crooked Islands, Bahamas. Life jackets, life rings, containers and an oil sheen were located by aircrews within a 225 square nautical mile search area.