PHOTO COUTESY : MASSACHUSETTS MARITIME ACADEMY
Photo of Keith Griffin, 33, a 2005 graduate of the Massachusetts Maritime Academy in Buzzards Bay. Griffin is among 33 crew members on board a cargo ship that went missing off the Bahamas during Hurricane Joaquin
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Two graduates, from the 2005 and 1996 classes, of the Massachusetts Maritime Academy in Buzzards Bay are among the 33 people missing from a U.S. cargo ship that sank during Hurricane Joaquin.
A school spokesman confirmed that Keith Griffin, 33, and Jeffrey Mathias, 44, were among the crew. The Coast Guard began its fifth day of searching today near the Bahamas.
“Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families of all the mariners on board,” said Massachusetts Maritime Academy Admiral Francis McDonald, through a spokesman.
Griffin was a native of Winthrop and graduated from the Academy in 2005. Mathias was from Kingston and graduated in 1996.
“During this difficult time, we want them (families of the crew) to know that Massachusetts Maritime Academy and the entire maritime community stands by them while this search continues,” McDonald said.
PHOTO COUTESY : MASSACHUSETTS MARITIME ACADEMY
Photo of Jeffrey Mathias, 44, of Kingston who graduated from MMA in 1996.
Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer Bobby Nash said Monday that two cutters continued searching overnight for the 790-foot El Faro, and a C-130 aircraft was launched at dawn. Nash said a third cutter was on its way.
The Coast Guard said during a briefing Monday morning that seas were 50 feet with 140 mile an hour winds at the time the cargo ship went down. The water depth in that area is 15,000 feet.
“What we have to assume as search planners is, if the vessel did sink on Thursday and that crew was able to abandon ship, they would have been abandoning ship into a category four hurricane,” said Coast Guard Captain Mark Fedor.
Searchers have found debris and clues, including one of the two lifeboats that were on board. A survival suit with one unidentified victim was also located.
“My focus now is on the search and rescue aspect of it. There will be an investigation going forward. The National Transportation Safety Board will lead that investigation, the Coast Guard will be a part of that,” said Captain Fedor.
The vessel’s owner said a container that appears to have come from the ship was found and a debris field was found that included what appeared to be pieces of container.
Searchers also spotted an oil sheen and found a life ring from the El Faro.
By MATT PITTA, CapeCod.com News Director
(Material from The Associated Press was used in this report)
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