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I sailed on this ship years ago, when she was sailing for a different company under another name.
Coast Guard has lost contact with cargo ship in Hurricane Joaquin
http://www.firstcoastnews.com/story...container-ship-in-hurricane-joaquin/73203942/
Jacob Rodriguez, First Coast News 1:49 p.m. EDT October 2, 2015
MIAMI — The Coast Guard announced Friday they'd lost contact with El Faro, a cargo ship en route to Puerto Rico from Jacksonville.
Thirty-three crew members are on board, the Coast Guard said.
According to marinetraffic.com, El Faro was supposed to arrive in San Juan at 5:00 p.m. Friday. It is reportedly a vehicle carrier.
The site also tracks the ship's last reported locations. The last report from El Faro puts the ship just west of the Bahamas.
Multiple search parties have been sent out by the Coast Guard, including two Air Force C-130 Hurricane Hunters, and are searching near the eye of the hurricane.
The last message the Coast Guard receive from the El Faro said that the ship was beset by Joaquin and had taken on water, but had since contained the flooding.
However, the Coast Guard has yet to reestablish contact with the vessel.
All 33 crew members are members of the local chapter of the Seafarers International Union, the union confirmed to First Coast News.
TOTE Maritime owns the ship, and announced in a press release that they have reached out to the families of those on board and said they've given them an open line of communication for updates on the situation.
The company also said they're working closely with the Coast Guard to try and reestablish communication in whatever way possible. TOTE Maritime is not releasing the name of the crew members, stating that it could be dangerous for families and the crew members.
The Coast Guard issued a release shortly after 11:00 a.m. The full text is reproduced below:
COAST GUARD SEARCHING FOR CONTAINER SHIP CAUGHT IN HURRICANE JOAQUIN
MIAMI - Coast Guard search and rescue crews are searching for a container ship with 33 crewmembers aboard reported to be caught in Hurricane Joaquin, near Crooked Island, Bahamas.
The El Faro, a 735-foot ro-ro cargo ship, was en route to San Juan, Puerto Rico, from Jacksonville, Florida. At approximately 7:30 a.m. Thursday, watchstanders at the Coast Guard Atlantic Area command center in Portsmouth, Virginia, received an Inmarsat satellite notification stating the El Faro was beset by Hurricane Joaquin, had lost propulsion and had a 15-degree list. The crew reported the ship had previously taken on water, but that all flooding had been contained.
Watchstanders at the Coast Guard 7th District command center in Miami launched an HC-130 aircrew out of Clearwater, Florida, to search for the El Faro. At this time Coast Guard watchstanders and rescue crews have been unable to reestablish communications with the El Faro crew.
Two Air Force C-130 Hurricane Hunter aircrews attempted to locate and reestablish communications with the El Faro unsuccessfully Thursday. Coast Guard crews remain on scene and will continue search efforts Friday by both air and sea.
Coast Guard has lost contact with cargo ship in Hurricane Joaquin
http://www.firstcoastnews.com/story...container-ship-in-hurricane-joaquin/73203942/
Jacob Rodriguez, First Coast News 1:49 p.m. EDT October 2, 2015
MIAMI — The Coast Guard announced Friday they'd lost contact with El Faro, a cargo ship en route to Puerto Rico from Jacksonville.
Thirty-three crew members are on board, the Coast Guard said.
According to marinetraffic.com, El Faro was supposed to arrive in San Juan at 5:00 p.m. Friday. It is reportedly a vehicle carrier.
The site also tracks the ship's last reported locations. The last report from El Faro puts the ship just west of the Bahamas.
Multiple search parties have been sent out by the Coast Guard, including two Air Force C-130 Hurricane Hunters, and are searching near the eye of the hurricane.
The last message the Coast Guard receive from the El Faro said that the ship was beset by Joaquin and had taken on water, but had since contained the flooding.
However, the Coast Guard has yet to reestablish contact with the vessel.
All 33 crew members are members of the local chapter of the Seafarers International Union, the union confirmed to First Coast News.
TOTE Maritime owns the ship, and announced in a press release that they have reached out to the families of those on board and said they've given them an open line of communication for updates on the situation.
The company also said they're working closely with the Coast Guard to try and reestablish communication in whatever way possible. TOTE Maritime is not releasing the name of the crew members, stating that it could be dangerous for families and the crew members.
The Coast Guard issued a release shortly after 11:00 a.m. The full text is reproduced below:
COAST GUARD SEARCHING FOR CONTAINER SHIP CAUGHT IN HURRICANE JOAQUIN
MIAMI - Coast Guard search and rescue crews are searching for a container ship with 33 crewmembers aboard reported to be caught in Hurricane Joaquin, near Crooked Island, Bahamas.
The El Faro, a 735-foot ro-ro cargo ship, was en route to San Juan, Puerto Rico, from Jacksonville, Florida. At approximately 7:30 a.m. Thursday, watchstanders at the Coast Guard Atlantic Area command center in Portsmouth, Virginia, received an Inmarsat satellite notification stating the El Faro was beset by Hurricane Joaquin, had lost propulsion and had a 15-degree list. The crew reported the ship had previously taken on water, but that all flooding had been contained.
Watchstanders at the Coast Guard 7th District command center in Miami launched an HC-130 aircrew out of Clearwater, Florida, to search for the El Faro. At this time Coast Guard watchstanders and rescue crews have been unable to reestablish communications with the El Faro crew.
Two Air Force C-130 Hurricane Hunter aircrews attempted to locate and reestablish communications with the El Faro unsuccessfully Thursday. Coast Guard crews remain on scene and will continue search efforts Friday by both air and sea.
