MIAMI, Nov. 3 (UPI) — Federal investigators confirmed the wreckage found 15,000 feet deep in the Atlantic Ocean is that of the El Faro cargo ship that sank with 33 aboard.
The National Transportation Safety Board said Monday the survey of the area and the vessel was expected to continue.
The 790-foot cargo ship went missing near the Bahamas on Oct. 1 during the Category 4 Hurricane Joaquin with 28 Americans and five Polish nationals aboard. One body was found in the ocean in the days after the ship went missing.
Sunday, the U.S. Navy, working with the NTSB in the search, used sonar to detect the ship on the ocean floor. It was upright and in one piece, searchers found. Crews will use deepwater equipment to continue the search for the black boxes, which may offer more information about the incident that led to the sinking.
The NTSB said if human remains are encountered during the operation the Navy will attempt to recover them.
Four families have filed lawsuits against TOTE Maritime, the owner of the vessel, accusing the company of negligence in allowing the ship to travel into the storm and alleging the ship had poor maintenance
Monday, TOTE filed a lawsuit to block the families’ legal action.
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