Objects located in area of missing cargo ship in Bahamas

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

US | Sun Oct 4, 2015 1:15pm EDT

Objects located in area of missing cargo ship in Bahamas

MIAMI | BY DAVID ADAMS

Life jackets, containers and an oil sheen were spotted by U.S. Coast Guard aircrews on Sunday, the third day of their search for the cargo ship El Faro and its 33 mostly American crew members after it went missing in the eye of Hurricane Joaquin.

The Coast Guard could not confirm that the objects belonged to the El Faro, which sent a distress call on Thursday in the Bahamas but has not been heard from since.

"The debris is scattered about over several miles," said Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer Ryan Doss with the Miami station. "It's going to take some time to verify. The items would appear to be consistent with the missing ship."

On Saturday, pilots working in high winds and seas found three life rings in waters to the northeast of Crooked Island in the Bahamas, about 75 miles (120 km) from the ship's last known position. One was confirmed to belong to the El Faro.

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Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/10/04/us-storm-joaquin-idUSKCN0RV3NW20151004

[CentralMass]

1. That sounds like very bleak news.

[HooptieWagon]

2. They've spotted several floating containers and an oil sheen also.

Does not look good at all, though I wasn't holding out much hope.

[cwydro]

3. With today's technology, that captain must have been very foolhardy.

Or was trying to score points with the bosses by making it through.

He knew about the hurricane.

[NightWatcher]

4. I hated sailing with Captains who were either under pressure to perform

or were too cocky to heed the weather warnings.

It was usually a 50/50 split between pressure from the company and hubris to think they knew better.

This whole situation could've been avoided and those lives not lost.

[Blue_In_AK]

7. My husband used to sail that ship

back when it was under different ownership and name. He said their company would NEVER have sent the ship out in weather like that.

[cwydro]

8. Wow, interesting to know this.

I have to admit that my first thought was someone trying to make money or make a name for himself.

Maybe it was just bad luck. But that's a really nasty storm, and I cannot imagine anyone sailing into that for any reason.

Sadly, we'll probably never know.

[NaturalHigh]

5. I'm still holding out hope, but it's getting harder.

[malaise]

6. Finding life rings does not appear to be good news

I hope someone survived but it hardly seems likely