Dive Team Calls off Efforts; Will Resume Wednesday

Poor visibility 60 feet beneath Oyster Bay is limiting progress on raising the wreck of the cabin cruiser that sank last week, leaving three dead, authorities said.

said Tuesday night that the search effort has been called off for the evening and will resume Wednesday.

Nassau Police divers and members of a special FBI unit are working to raise the Kandy Won, the 34-Silverton yacht that following a July 4 fireworks display. Twenty-four others made it off the ship alive.

The cause of the wreck remains under investigation.

Nassau police said the divers are being hampered by poor underwater visibility. The wreck is sitting on a sand bar and when divers set down on it, silt is kicked up, making visibility less than a foot, police said.

The experts plan to place a series of straps beneath the boat tied to inflatable devices. When the floats fill with air, the vessel will be hoisted to the surface.

The experts were called in to raise the craft gingerly in order to preserve possible evidence, authorities said.

Police said the recovery effort will begin again Wednesday.