Ship With 28 Americans Aboard Vanishes In Bermuda Triangle, Coast Guard Search Continues
A cargo ship called the El Faro has vanished in the Bermuda Triangle near the Crooked Island, Bahamas. The ship had 28 Americas aboard along with three Polish crew members. The El Faro, which was carrying cars, left Florida and was destined for San Juan, Puerto Rico when it went missing in the infamous Bermuda Triangle as Hurricane Joaquin slammed the area. The ship sent out a distress signal noting it had lost power and was taking on water before all communication was lost.
The Daily Mail reported that a cargo ship carrying vehicles and a 33-man crew went missing in the Bermuda Triangle. The ship went missing on Friday as Hurricane Joaquin battered the Bahamas. The ship, which was located near the Crooked Island, Bahamas, sent a distress signal informing rescue crews that they had lost power and were taking on water due to the powerful storm.
The US Coast Guard has sent two C-130 Hercules aircraft to search for the ship in distress. However, as of Saturday morning, there is still no sign of the El Faro or any crew members.
According to NBC News, the Coast Guard has not found any signs of the El Faro or any of its crew members. With Hurricane Joaquin out of the area, the Coast Guard had hoped to find the missing cargo ship. However, the 735-foot vessel remains missing. The report indicates that some 850 square nautical miles were searched yesterday to no avail. The search continues today.
The company that owns the missing cargo ship says that the crew members are their top priority right now. Anthony Chiarello, president and CEO of ship owner TOTE, says that he has been in communication with the crew members’ families and that they will do everything “humanly possible” to ensure a safe return of the crew.
“Our number one priority… is the safe return of the 33 people on the vessel.”
When discussing the crew’s capability in such a strong storm, the company noted that the crew’s captain was highly experienced having spent more than 20 years at the sea. They called the captain a “man of incredible experience.”
It is not known exactly why the ship lost power. However, during the distress call it was noted that the ship had been overtaken by the storm. The distress signal outlined a loss of power and that it was taking on water due to large swells from Hurricane Joaquin.
As the El Faro cargo ship sailed across the Bahamas, Hurricane Joaquin was battering the area with sustained winds up to 125 mph. It is likely that the El Faro got caught in the massive storm and couldn’t escape.
Meanwhile, back in the Bahamas, there have been power outages along with widespread flooding. However, there have been no reported deaths. Though there are no reports of injuries or fatalities, residents on the island chain say they are trapped inside their homes as it is too dangerous to come outside.
Despite the report that the El Faro was taking on water, the Coast Guard still hopes to find the missing vessel and the surviving crew members. Do you think the Coast Guard will be able to recover the vessel and its crew members?
[Image Credit: Google Earth]
