Wreckage found at the bottom of the ocean over the weekend is the sunken cargo ship El Faro, the National Transportation Safety Board confirmed Monday.
The wreckage was found Saturday in 15,000 feet of water east of the Bahamas.
The 790-foot ship went missing on Oct. 1 during Hurricane Joaquin as it was making a trip from Jacksonville, Florida, to San Juan, Puerto Rico.
All 33 crewmembers on board were lost.
The NTSB said Monday that crews would continue to survey the area. Authorities have said that their goal was to locate the ship’s black box, which might offer clues as to what went wrong aboard the vessel.
When the El Faro set sail on Sept. 29, Joaquin was a tropical storm, but by the time the ship disappeared the storm had swelled to a Category 4 hurricane.
The El Faro's captain had called in before the vessel sank, saying the ship had lost its engine power. The Coast Guard spent days searching for the ship and bodies before calling off the rescue mission. They found debris, a survival suit and one body.
Families of at least two crewmembers have filed lawsuits against the ship’s owners. One of the families alleged in their suit that the ship "had a history of losing power while under voyage and during hurricanes."
