United States confirms it found wreckage of sunken freighter El Faro

U.S. Navy investigators have found the wreckage of the cargo ship El Faro, which sank off the Bahamas during Hurricane Joaquin with 33 people aboard, the has confirmed.

The identity of the vessel was confirmed using a deep ocean remotely operated vehicle.

The next step will be to locate and recover the voyage data recorder. His relative Barry Young told CNN affiliate WJXT he was glad that the ship's wreck may have been found.

"My head wants answers, but my heart wants to stick to my vision of hope, stick to my vision of him being out on an island out there", Roberts said.

"If Tote is telling the families and the press they want to do the right thing, then they should do it", Mr. Arnold told Reuters in an emailed statement.

The El Faro, which went down with all hands during Hurricane Joaquin on October 1, was bound for Puerto Rico at the time of the accident. All 28 American and five Polish nationals aboard are presumed dead, and four lawsuits have been filed by surviving family against TOTE Maritime, the owner and operator of the El Faro. Its last communication with the US Coast Guard had the ship east of the Bahamas and without engine power.

Again, no sign. Three days of searches passed. Hill is a cousin of Roosevelt Clark, a veteran seaman who was aboard the El Faro.

But on October 1, Davidson called officials to report that the 790-foot long cargo ship had lost propulsion, had taken on water and was listing at 15 degrees.

The NTSB said the last contact from El Faro to the authorities came at 7:17 a.m., 20 miles from the eye of the hurricane.