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Winthrop Holds Vigil For El Faro Crew

WINTHROP (CBS) - The National Transportation Safety Board says it will now lead the investigation into what happened to the El Faro and why.

The cargo ship departed from Jacksonville, Fla. for San Juan, Puerto Rico last week and lost contact a day later. Monday, the U.S. Coast Guard located debris and one unidentified body in a survival suit.

The Coast Guard says the ship sank three miles underwater. The NTSB says it will search for the voyage data recorder which has a battery life of 30 days.

Related: Mass. Maritime Grads On Missing Ship

Two Massachusetts natives are among the missing – Jeffrey Mathias, 42, of Kingston and Keith Griffin, 33, formally of Winthrop.

Mathias Griffin
Jeffrey A. Mathias and Keith Griffin (Photos courtesy Massachusetts Maritime Academy)

Tuesday night, dozens gathered in Griffin's hometown to pray for a friend.

"It's a sad moment, it's a difficult moment, but everyone is smiling because any story you have that involves Keith is going to put a smile on your face. He was just the greatest kid," says best friend Ron D'Amico.

Jessica Zappulla spoke with Griffin on Facebook last week. She says he was in good spirits and said it would be a short trip.

"If there was a will to find his way out of this he will fight and he will find it. He will find that way," says Zappulla.
Griffin is married and expecting twins.

Mathias is a married father of three young children.

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