Search For Crew Of Hurricane-Hit Ship Ends

The US Coast Guard has said it was ending its search for 33 crew members who were on board a container ship that sank off the Bahamas during Hurricane Joaquin.

Maritime experts have called the sinking of El Faro the worst cargo shipping disaster involving a US-flagged vessel in more than 30 years.

Search and rescue crews working since last week were due to stop their efforts at sunset on Wednesday, Coast Guard Captain Mark Fedor said.

This was "an all-hands effort", he said. "I want the families to know how committed we were to finding their loved ones."

The 790ft El Faro and its crew - 28 Americans and five Poles - departed on 29 September from Jacksonville, Florida, to San Juan, Puerto Rico.

The vessel disappeared last Thursday after encountering 140mph winds and 50ft seas caused by Joaquin.

Officials said the ship's captain, Michael Davidson, had planned to bypass the Category 4 storm but some kind of mechanical failure left the vessel helplessly adrift in its path.

During their last communication with land, crew members reported the ship had lost power, taken on water and was listing 15 degrees but that they still thought the situation was manageable.

Federal safety officials are investigating the incident.

Bella Dinh-Zarr, vice chairman National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), said: "We will be looking at everything. So, we leave no stone unturned in our investigation and our analysis."

Robert Green, the father of missing crew member LaShawn Rivera, told reporters he was still praying for a miracle despite the decision to call of the search.

"I think we're still hopeful," he said. "Miracles do happen and it's God's way only. I'm prayerful, hopeful and still optimistic."

Nick Mavadones, a childhood friend and former colleague of Capt Davidson's, said he "took his job seriously".

"He was a very squared-away sailor, very meticulous with details, very prudent, which is important when you're working on the water," Mr Mavadones said of his friend.