151021-N-RZ218-043 ATLANTIC OCEAN (Oct. 21, 2015) USNS Apache (T-ATF 172) sailing to search for the missing U.S. flagged merchant vessel El Faro on Oct. 21. Apache departed Norfolk, Virginia, on Oct. 19 to begin searching for wreckage from the missing cargo ship, which is believed to have sunk off the coast of Crooked Island in the Bahamas. The ship is equipped with several pieces of underwater search equipment, including a voyage data recorder locator, side-scan sonar and an underwater remote operated vehicle. The Navy’s mission will be to first locate the ship and, if possible, to retrieve the voyage data recorder – commonly known as a black box. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class John Kotara/Released)
↧