Two Lee County men on board missing U.S. cargo ship

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CAPE CORAL, Fla. – Two Lee County men are on board the missing cargo ship in the Atlantic Ocean.

The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) found 225 square miles of debris on Sunday afternoon, including life jackets, life rings, containers, and an oil sheen.

“We found several pieces of foam, we found a 55 gallon drum, orange, and what appeared to be a ship’s bumper that looks like something off of a pier or dock,” Lt. Coletun A. Frank with USCG said.

USCG, along with the Navy and Air Force, have been searching for the 790-foot cargo ship after they lost contact on Thursday. El Faro departed from Jacksonville on Tuesdway, when Hurricane Joaquin was just a tropical storm.

With winds reaching speeds of 130 mph near the Bahamas, and no word from the crew, family members are starting to worry. One woman from Maine says she received an email from her daughter before they lost contact.

“‘Not sure if you’ve been following the weather at all, but there is a hurricane out here and we are heading straight into it–Category 3. Last we checked, winds are super bad and seas are not great. Love to everyone,'” Laurie Bobillot said.

According to the News-Press, two local men are on board–46-year-old Jeremy Riehm of Bokeelia and 51-year-old Steven Shultz from Cape Coral. A total of 33 people are on board the ship.

USCG covered 70,000 square nautical miles and says they will be holding a press conference on Monday morning.

Trust WINK News for the latest information.

 

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