By — Elisabeth Ponsot Elisabeth Ponsot Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/search-continues-ship-33-crew-missing-hurricane-joaquin Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Air crews searching for El Faro ship spot objects in water, recover life ring Nation Oct 3, 2015 1:32 PM EDT #BreakingNews @USCGSoutheast Video Release: Recovery of #ElFaro life ring. pic.twitter.com/X0RfPsheTM — USCGSoutheast (@USCGSoutheast) October 4, 2015 UPDATE: Search and rescue teams have spotted multiple objects in the water where crews are searching for the El Faro, the American cargo ship that went missing after encountering heavy weather from Hurricane Joaquin on Thursday, the U.S. Coast Guard said in a press release. As the search entered its third day on Sunday, aircrews reported seeing life jackets, life rings, containers and an oil sheen in the water. The Coast Guard said the objects have not yet been confirmed to be from the lost vessel. “The debris is scattered about over several miles,” Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer Ryan Doss told Reuters. “It’s going to take some time to verify. The items would appear to be consistent with the missing ship.” On Saturday, air crews had recovered three life rings in waters about 75 miles from the ship’s last known position. One of the rings was confirmed to be from the lost vessel. #BreakingNews @USCGSoutheast rescue crews have resumed flights this AM in the search for #ElFaro pic.twitter.com/FR285sAPfk — USCGSoutheast (@USCGSoutheast) October 4, 2015 The owners of the El Faro, Tote Maritime, said in a statement Sunday that two ships sent to the search area found a container “which appears to be from the El Faro.” According to Tote Maritime, there has been no sighting of the missing vessel or any life boats in the vicinity. “Our thoughts and prayers remain with the 33 individuals aboard the ship and their families,” Tote Maritime Puerto Rico president Tim Nolan said. PBS NewsHour will update this story as it develops. Rear Adm. Scott Buschman, commander of the Coast Guard 7th District, receives an update brief for the missing cargo ship El Faro at the Coast Guard 7th District in Miami Oct. 3, 2015. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Jon-Paul Rios Original report (published Oct. 3): Aircrews resumed the search early Saturday for an American cargo ship, the El Faro, which was missing near Crooked Island in the Bahamas, the U.S. Coast Guard said in a press release. The 735-foot vessel was carrying 28 American and five Polish citizens when the crew issued a distress call on Thursday. As of Saturday, the El Faro had not been heard from for more than 48 hours. The El Faro is shown in this undated handout photo. The U.S. Coast Guard is searching for the 735-foot cargo ship with 33 crew members aboard reported to be caught in the powerful Hurricane Joaquin. Photo credit: Tote Maritime/Handout via Reuters The container ship departed Jacksonville, Florida, on Sept. 29 and was headed toward San Juan, Puero Rico, when it became caught in stormy weather triggered by Hurricane Joaquin. Before losing communication with authorities, the crew reported the ship had lost propulsion and was leaning to one side. View from the cockpit as the Coast Guard searched for the missing El Faro container ship on Oct. 3, 2015. The Coast Guard has been searching since Oct. 1, after losing communications with the El Faro. Still from U.S. Coast Guard video The Coast Guard said search teams had scoured more than 850 square nautical miles looking for the El Faro on Friday, but the search operation was hampered by significant waves and hurricane-force winds. In a video posted to the Coast Guard’s Southeast’s twitter feed, Coast Guard pilot Lt Dustin Burton said crews searching for the lost vessel were dealing with very limited visibility and wave heights in excess of 40 feet. “This was the most challenging weather conditions anyone on our crew had ever flown in,” he said. Despite the challenges posed by the stormy weather, air crews found three life rings in waters about 75 miles from the ship’s last known position, the Coast Guard said Saturday. One of the life rings was confirmed to belong to the El Faro. By — Elisabeth Ponsot Elisabeth Ponsot Elisabeth Ponsot (Beth) is the Digital News Editor at PBS NewsHour Weekend, where she oversees the program's online team. @bponsot
#BreakingNews @USCGSoutheast Video Release: Recovery of #ElFaro life ring. pic.twitter.com/X0RfPsheTM — USCGSoutheast (@USCGSoutheast) October 4, 2015 UPDATE: Search and rescue teams have spotted multiple objects in the water where crews are searching for the El Faro, the American cargo ship that went missing after encountering heavy weather from Hurricane Joaquin on Thursday, the U.S. Coast Guard said in a press release. As the search entered its third day on Sunday, aircrews reported seeing life jackets, life rings, containers and an oil sheen in the water. The Coast Guard said the objects have not yet been confirmed to be from the lost vessel. “The debris is scattered about over several miles,” Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer Ryan Doss told Reuters. “It’s going to take some time to verify. The items would appear to be consistent with the missing ship.” On Saturday, air crews had recovered three life rings in waters about 75 miles from the ship’s last known position. One of the rings was confirmed to be from the lost vessel. #BreakingNews @USCGSoutheast rescue crews have resumed flights this AM in the search for #ElFaro pic.twitter.com/FR285sAPfk — USCGSoutheast (@USCGSoutheast) October 4, 2015 The owners of the El Faro, Tote Maritime, said in a statement Sunday that two ships sent to the search area found a container “which appears to be from the El Faro.” According to Tote Maritime, there has been no sighting of the missing vessel or any life boats in the vicinity. “Our thoughts and prayers remain with the 33 individuals aboard the ship and their families,” Tote Maritime Puerto Rico president Tim Nolan said. PBS NewsHour will update this story as it develops. Rear Adm. Scott Buschman, commander of the Coast Guard 7th District, receives an update brief for the missing cargo ship El Faro at the Coast Guard 7th District in Miami Oct. 3, 2015. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Jon-Paul Rios Original report (published Oct. 3): Aircrews resumed the search early Saturday for an American cargo ship, the El Faro, which was missing near Crooked Island in the Bahamas, the U.S. Coast Guard said in a press release. The 735-foot vessel was carrying 28 American and five Polish citizens when the crew issued a distress call on Thursday. As of Saturday, the El Faro had not been heard from for more than 48 hours. The El Faro is shown in this undated handout photo. The U.S. Coast Guard is searching for the 735-foot cargo ship with 33 crew members aboard reported to be caught in the powerful Hurricane Joaquin. Photo credit: Tote Maritime/Handout via Reuters The container ship departed Jacksonville, Florida, on Sept. 29 and was headed toward San Juan, Puero Rico, when it became caught in stormy weather triggered by Hurricane Joaquin. Before losing communication with authorities, the crew reported the ship had lost propulsion and was leaning to one side. View from the cockpit as the Coast Guard searched for the missing El Faro container ship on Oct. 3, 2015. The Coast Guard has been searching since Oct. 1, after losing communications with the El Faro. Still from U.S. Coast Guard video The Coast Guard said search teams had scoured more than 850 square nautical miles looking for the El Faro on Friday, but the search operation was hampered by significant waves and hurricane-force winds. In a video posted to the Coast Guard’s Southeast’s twitter feed, Coast Guard pilot Lt Dustin Burton said crews searching for the lost vessel were dealing with very limited visibility and wave heights in excess of 40 feet. “This was the most challenging weather conditions anyone on our crew had ever flown in,” he said. Despite the challenges posed by the stormy weather, air crews found three life rings in waters about 75 miles from the ship’s last known position, the Coast Guard said Saturday. One of the life rings was confirmed to belong to the El Faro.