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Coast Guard Ends Search for El Faro Survivors

Mike Schuler
Total Views: 41
October 7, 2015

The El Faro is shown in this undated handout photo provided by Tote Maritime in Jacksonville, Florida, October 2, 2015. Reuters/Tote Maritime

 

The U.S. Coast Guard has ended it search for possible survivors from the American cargo ship El Faro, which is believed to have sank Thursday with the loss of all 33 crew members.

The announcement comes after an exhaustive 6-day search for survivors covering more than 183,000 square nautical miles. The search was officially suspended Wednesday night at sundown.

“I have come to a very difficult decision to suspend the search for the crew of the El Faro at sunset tonight. My deepest condolences go to the families, loved ones, and friends of the El Faro crew,” said Rear Adm. Scott Buschman, commander, Coast Guard 7th District. “U.S. Coast Guard, U.S Navy, U.S. Air Force, and the Tote Maritime tug crews searched day and night, sometimes in perilous conditions with the hope of finding survivors in this tragic loss.”

The 790-foot roll-on/roll-off containership EL Faro had 33 crew members, including 28 Americans and 5 Polish nationals, when it sank sometime Thursday in Hurricane Joaquin while off the coast the Bahamas. The names of the crew members have been released by the TOTE Maritime and are listed below.

The Coast Guard held a joint conference with the NTSB on Wednesday to provide an update on the search for the missing crew and the investigation.

Communication was lost with the ship Thursday morning after the Coast Guard received a satellite notification from the crew at 7:20 a.m. stating that the ship had lost power, taken on water and developed a 15 degree list as it battled Hurricane Joaquin, however the situation was contained and being managed by the crew, the notification said.

The El Faro departed Jacksonville, Florida on its normal route to San Juan, Puerto Rice on Tuesday, September 29th when then-Tropical Storm Joaquin was located a few hundred miles from the Bahamas and 40 knot winds. By Thursday, Joaquin had grown into a dangerous Category 4 hurricane with 110 knot winds and wave heights likely up to about 35 feet while centered right off eastern coast of the Bahamas.

The Coast Guard has reported that the last known location of the ship was 35 miles northeast of Crooked Island, Bahamas, approximately the same location as the eye of the slow-moving hurricane on Thursday.

On Saturday, search crews located a life ring in the water bearing the name ‘El Faro’ – the first sign of the ship since it went missing Thursday. By Sunday night, the Coast Guard had located a deceased person in a survival suit in the water, as well as a heavily damaged life boat with markings consistent with those on board the El Faro. Additional items located by Coast Guard aircrews within search areas include a partially submerged life raft, life jackets, life rings, cargo containers and an oil sheen Sunday, the Coast Guard said.

Water depths in the area are approximately 15,000 feet.

Assets involved in the search have included two Coast Guard HC-130 Hercules airplanes, two Air Force C-130 airplanes, one Navy P-8 airplane, a Coast Guard MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter, three commercial tugs, and the Coast Guard Cutters Northland, Resolute and Charles Sexton.

The El Faro is owned by TOTE Maritime, part of TOTE, Inc. and the Saltchuk family of brands.

“It is with heavy hearts this afternoon that we learn the Coast Guard has suspended their search for survivors,” said Anthony Chiarello, TOTE President & CEO.

“Our focus has been on supporting and caring for the family members, loved ones, and friends of those aboard the El Faro. The Coast Guard’s announcement will not change the support that TOTE extends to those affected by this tragic event: though the search may be over, their grief, and ours, is not.

“We appreciate there are many rumors and speculations surrounding this tragic event, as there are with any accident. For the sake of the families and loved ones, we ask that you continue to respect their privacy and wait for the investigation results,” Chiarello added.

Chiarello’s statement continued:

“We wish to thank the USCG, and in fact the entire US Government, who have worked tirelessly, placing assets at the disposal of the search and keeping the men and women of the El Faro in their thoughts and prayers.

“Our industry is very small and very close, and the support and prayers for the crew and families from the maritime community mean a great deal to all of us. We would also like to thank all who have posted support on social media channels: your sentiments were appreciated, and your support was felt by all of us.

“We will continue to focus our attention on the families and loved ones.”

Crew of the SS El Faro as provided by Tote Maritime via the U.S. Coast Guard:

  • Louis Champa, Palm Coast, Florida
  • Roosevelt Clark, Jacksonville, Florida
  • Sylvester Crawford Jr., Lawrenceville, Georgia
  • Michael Davidson, Windham, Maine
  • Brookie Davis, Jacksonville, Florida
  • Keith Griffin, Fort Myers, Florida
  • Frank Hamm, Jacksonville, Florida
  • Joe Hargrove, Orange Park, Florida
  • Carey Hatch, Jacksonville, Florida
  • Michael Holland, North Wilton, Maine
  • Jack Jackson, Jacksonville, Florida
  • Jackie Jones, Jr., Jacksonville, Florida
  • Lonnie Jordan, Jacksonville, Florida
  • Piotr Krause, Poland
  • Mitchell Kuflik, Brooklyn, New York
  • Roan Lightfoot, Jacksonville Beach, Florida
  • Jeffrey Mathias, Kingston, Massachusetts
  • Dylan Meklin, Rockland, Maine
  • Marcin Nita, Poland
  • Jan Podgorski, Poland
  • James Porter, Jacksonville, Florida
  • Richard Pusatere, Virginia Beach, Virginia
  • Theodore Quammie, Jacksonville, Florida
  • Danielle Randolph, Rockland, Massachusetts
  • Jeremie Riehm, Camden, Delaware
  • Lashawn Rivera, Jacksonville, Florida
  • Howard Schoenly, Cape Coral, Florida
  • Steven Shultz, Roan Mountain, Tennessee
  • German Solar-Cortes, Orlando, Florida
  • Anthony Thomas, Jacksonville, Florida
  • Andrzej Truszkowski, Poland
  • Mariette Wright, St. Augustine, Florida
  • Rafal Zdobych, Poland

 

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