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Coast Guard: Cargo ship lost in Bahamas sank

Coast Guard: Cargo ship lost in Bahamas sank
Posted at 10:54 AM, Oct 05, 2015
and last updated 2015-10-05 10:54:01-04

The Coast Guard says it found the body of one crew member from a U.S.-based cargo ship that sank during a hurricane off the Bahamas.

Capt. Mark Fedor said Monday that an airborne crew spotted several survival suits floating amid debris from the El Faro. Most were empty but one had a body. A helicopter crew confirmed the person was dead but had to leave the body behind to continue the search for possible survivors.The Coast Guard said a ship that went missing during a hurricane off the Bahamas sank, but the search continues for the 33 people on board.

Chief Petty Officer Jon-Paul Rios said the Coast Guard and the ship's owner concluded Monday that the 790-foot container ship El Faro sank after encountering Hurricane Joaquin's high winds and heavy seas last week.

Rios says Coast Guard cutters and aircraft and a U.S. Navy plane continued searching the Atlantic Ocean for the missing crew. The ship's owners say it carried more than enough lifeboats and rafts for the crew.

Earlier, a container, pieces of another container and a life ring from the El Faro was recovered. An oil sheen also was spotted.