MIAMI – Coast Guard crews continue searching for possible survivors from the cargo ship El Faro Tuesday morning, which is believed to have sunk during Hurricane Joaquin.
Crews have searched a total of 160,574 square nautical miles while searching in the vicinity of the ship's last known position 35 nautical miles northeast of Crooked Islands, Bahamas.
The Coast Guard 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 located Sunday. Additional items located by Coast Guard aircrews within a 225 square nautical mile search area include a partially submerged life raft, life jackets, life rings, cargo containers and an oil sheen Sunday.
Multiple crews continue to search for survivors from the El Faro. Assets involved in the search include:
- Two Coast Guard HC-130 Hercules airplane from Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater, Florida.
- One Navy P-8 fixed wing airplane.
- One Coast Guard MH-60 Jayhawk from Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater, Florida.
- Coast Guard Cutter Northland, a 210-foot medium endurance cutter homeported in Portsmouth, Virginia.
- Coast Guard Cutter Resolute, a 210-foot medium endurance cutter homeported in St. Petersburg, Florida.
- Coast Guard Cutter Charles Sexton, a 154-foot fast response cutter homeported in Key West, Florida.
- Three commercial tugboats.
Sea and weather conditions during Tuesday's search include one-foot seas and 15 knot winds with unrestricted visibility.
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