22 From Sunken Cargo Ship Still Sought
Rescuers, refusing to abandon hope, combed 3,000 square miles of the blustery North Atlantic Monday for 22 crew members from a Ukrainian-registered cargo ship that sank Friday in a violent storm.
“We remain optimistic that there will be more survivors out there,” said U.S. Coast Guard spokesman Dennis Uhlenhopp, adding that bad weather remained a major obstacle.
“We’re facing 15-foot seas and 40-knot winds,” Uhlenhopp said. “Visibility and weather are just very poor.”
Two survivors have been rescued. Seven bodies have been spotted in the water by merchant vessels, four of which have been recovered, Uhlenhopp added.
The 450-foot Salvador Allende, with 31 crew members aboard, sank Friday morning 1,200 miles east of the New Jersey coast.
Uhlenhopp said six merchant vessels were assisting the search effort Monday.
Rescuers have said the two crew members rescued Friday and Saturday probably owe their lives to the warm Gulf Stream current that has kept water temperatures above 60 degrees.
No cause has been determined for the sinking.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
