The sinking of the SS El Faro on October 1, 2015 was a tragic maritime disaster that unfolded during Hurricane Joaquin in the Atlantic Ocean. The American cargo ship, owned by TOTE Maritime, was on a routine voyage from Jacksonville, Florida, to San Juan, Puerto Rico, carrying a cargo of containers and vehicles. Unfortunately, the ship encountered the powerful Category 4 hurricane, and the crew found themselves in a perilous situation. Despite the suggestions of other officers, Captain Michael Davidson navigated the ship directly into the eye of the hurricane. El Faro became flooded from an open scuttle, and later through the ventilation and fire prevention systems. Tragically, all 33 crew members on board lost their lives in the disaster.
The sinking of the SS El Faro prompted investigations by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the U.S. Coast Guard. The subsequent reports revealed a series of factors that contributed to the disaster, including decisions made by the ship’s captain to sail too close to the hurricane’s path and issues with the vessel’s maintenance, and oversight by TOTE. The incident led to increased scrutiny of safety regulations in the maritime industry and highlighted the challenges faced by ships navigating through severe weather conditions. El Faro is the worst US commercial shipping disaster since the loss of the Edmund Fitzgerald in 1975.
Suggested Reading
Into the Raging Sea by Rachel Slade includes incredible details about the men and women on board El Faro, and the events leading to the sinking. I highly recommend this book! – Rich
Gallery
Crew of El Faro
Louis M. Champa, 51, Qualified Member of the Engine Department
Roosevelt L. Clark, 38, Utility Person
Sylvester C. Crawford Jr., 40 Qualified Member of the Engine Department
Michael C. Davidson, 53, Master
Brookie L. Davis, 63, Able Seaman
Keith W. Griffin, 33, 1st Assistant Engineer
Frank J. Hamm III, 49, Able Seaman
Joe E. Hargrove, 65, Oiler
Carey J. Hatch, 49, Able Seaman
Michael L. Holland, 25, 3rd Assistant Engineer
Jack E. Jackson, 60, Able Seaman
Jackie R. Jones, Jr., 38, Able Seaman
Lonnie S. Jordan, 35, Messman
Piotr M. Krause, 27, Supernumerary/Riding Crew
Mitchell T. Kuflik, 26, 3rd Assistant Engineer
Roan R. Lightfoot, 54, Bosun
Jeffrey A. Mathias, 42, Supernumerary/Riding Crew Supervisor
Dylan O. Meklin, 23, 3rd Assistant Engineer
Marcin P. Nita, 34, Supernumerary/Riding Crew
Jan P. Podgórski, 43, Supernumerary/Riding Crew
James P. Porter, 40, Utility Person
Richard J. Pusatere, 34, Chief Engineer
Theodore E. Quammie, 67, Steward
Danielle L. Randolph, 34, 2nd Mate
Jeremie H. Riehm, 46, 3rd Mate
LaShawn L. Rivera, 32, Chief Cook
Howard J. Schoenly, 51, 2nd Assistant Engineer
Steven W. Schultz, 54, Chief Mate
German A. Solar-Cortes, 51, Oiler
Anthony S. Thomas, 47, Oiler
Andrzej R. Truszkowski, 51, Supernumerary/Riding Crew
Mariette Wright, 51, Utility Person
Rafal A. Zdobych, 42, Supernumerary/Riding Crew
Sources
Slade, Rachel. Into the Raging Sea. Harper Collins, 2018.
https://www.jacksonville.com/story/news/2017/09/27/el-faro-audio-transcript-reveals-details-last-moments-ship-crew/15774700007/
https://www.dieselduck.info/library/09%20accidents/2016.12-ElFaro%20VDR%20Transcript.pdf
https://gcaptain.com/el-faro-6-years-later/
https://www.mensjournal.com/adventure/the-last-voyage-of-the-ss-el-faro-w495797
https://www.jacksonville.com/story/news/2017/09/27/el-faro-timeline-tragedy/15774690007/
https://www.peoplesworld.org/article/the-sinking-of-el-faro-sailors-take-warningof-disaster-capitalism/
http://www.sunship.org/ships_of_sun_ship/fs_670.html
https://www.actionnewsjax.com/news/local/inside-el-faros-engineering-history/478909361/
https://www.peoplesworld.org/article/the-sinking-of-el-faro-sailors-take-warningof-disaster-capitalism/
https://www.jacksonville.com/story/news/nation-world/2015/10/06/who-michael-davidson-captain-missing-el-faro/15682821007/
https://hbswk.hbs.edu/item/cold-call-management-lessons-from-the-sinking-of-the-ss-el-faro
https://www.workboat.com/bluewater/ntsb-releases-el-faro-transcript-documents
https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2015/JOAQUIN.shtml
https://www.seattletimes.com/business/ntsb-captain-bad-safety-culture-at-seattle-firms-shipping-unit-to-blame-for-loss-of-el-faro/