Eastern Seaboard Hunkers Down For Hurricane

MIAMI (AP) — Here is the latest on drenching storms threatening the East Coast as Hurricane Joaquin swirls in the Atlantic:

The United States Coast Guard has rescued 12 people who abandoned their 212-foot cargo ship that began taking on water north of Haiti.

Coast Guard officials in Miami say the rescue took place Thursday evening as the area experienced heavy weather caused by Hurricane Joaquin.

Officials say they received a message from the British coast guard about the Bolivian-flagged cargo ship Minouche. The message stated that the ship was listing and crew members were preparing to abandon it.

The Coast Guard diverted a cutter and launched a helicopter. A good Samaritan vessel also diverted to the ship's last known position.

The good Samaritan ship located the crew members and the Coast Guard crew hoisted them into the helicopter and took them to Great Inagua, Bahamas. There were no major injuries reported.