On Wednesday, the U.S. Coast Guard called off its search for survivors from the cargo ship El Faro, which went missing near the Bahamas after losing power and propulsion and is believed to have sunk during Hurricane Joaquin.
The ship left Jacksonville, Florida, on Thursday, headed for Puerto Rico with 33 crew members — 28 from the United States, five from Poland. The body of one person was found Monday by rescuers, as well as a battered lifeboat. Joseph Murray, an instructor at Massachusetts Maritime Academy and a former master of commercial ships, told NPR that when the El Faro set sail, Hurricane Joaquin was reported as a tropical storm, "something that ship has gone through many times in that very same area. What was not anticipated or known was the intensification of the storm and its development into a Category 4." El Faro had "the best equipment, it was well inspected," he added. "The crew were well trained. They were simply overwhelmed by the force of nature."
On Wednesday, President Obama thanked everyone who had worked "so tirelessly, on the sea and in the air, day after day, in the massive search for survivors." He said the government will fully support the investigation taking place "because the grieving families of the El Faro deserve answers and because we have to do everything in our power to ensure the safety of our people, including those who work at sea."
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