Still no word from missing cargo ship

Coast Guard officials are searching for a cargo ship that may have been trapped in the path of Hurricane Joaquin, which ravaged the Bahamas.

The El Faro, a 735-foot ship traveling from Jacksonville to San Juan, Puerto Rico, was last heard from Thursday morning. Its propulsion system was not working properly.

No word from cargo ship crew since Thursday

A cargo ship sailing from Jacksonville to San Juan, Puerto Rico, was caught up in Hurricane Joaquin and has not been heard from since Thursday morning, the U.S. Coast Guard said Friday.

The El Faro, one of TOTE Maritime Puerto Rico’s ships, departed Jacksonville Tuesday, while Joaquin was still a tropical storm, the company said in a statement. The system went on to grow into a Category 4 hurricane and pound the Bahamas on Thursday and Friday.

The 735-foot ship has a crew of 33 aboard.

The Coast Guard said it last heard from the ship at 7:30 a.m. Thursday when it reported it had lost power to its propulsion system and was leaning to its left, or port side, by 15 degrees.

“We lost communication and we are trying to find them and re-establish communication,” said Coast Guard Petty Officer Mark Barney.

Searches were made by air and sea for the ship, and two U.S. Air Force Hurricane Hunter crews also attempted to find it, the Coast Guard said.

When the El Faro last made contact searchers said it was near Crooked Island in the Bahamas, which is west of the Turks and Caicos Islands and its destination, San Juan.