Update: From USCG Update 4 — Life jackets, life rings, containers and an oil sheen have been located by Coast Guard aircrews. The objects have not been confirmed to be from the El Faro at this time.
Yesterday, the US Coast Guard found a life ring from the El Faro, a ro/ro cargo ship bound from Jacksonville to Puerto Rico, which disappeared last Thursday in the path of Hurricane Joaquin. In a statement released last night, Tim Nolan, president of TOTE Maritime, the ship’s operator, said:
“Earlier today, the Coast Guard confirmed that they located a life ring floating at sea which was identified as belonging to the EL Faro. A HC130 plane spotted the ring and a H60 helicopter confirmed it was able to retrieve the ring and the ring was stenciled with markings from the El Faro.
While this reflects that the ship was caught in rough seas and extreme weather, it is in no way indicative of the ship’s fate. In fact, it helps confirm the El Faro’s possible location and helps the USCG confirm the search areas. Small items, such as life rings and life jackets, are lost at sea frequently, particularly in rough weather.
The US Coast Guard has been working tirelessly, allocating numerous air and surface assets to aid in the search. They will be announcing search plans for Sunday in due course.”
Pingback: Travel News / Life Ring from Ro/Ro El Faro Located, Ship Still Missing, Search Continues
It was with great sadness that I read of the loss of the S.S. El Faro. Sincere condolences to the families let us hope and pray for survivors. Having spent some 60 years at sea the last 50 from Cadet to Master one knows that the dangers of the sea which can come upon any mariner no matter how careful.
Knowing this area extremely well having sailed it for some 20 years I do wonder that in the weather being forecast the Master did not decide to come down the Straits of Florida and turn into the Old Bahama Channel thus passing south of the weather forecast as a tropical storm likely to become a hurricane. Large ships make this passage on a regular basis.
One suspects management pressure to take the regular route for those two important points to shipmanagers – time and money. Sadly not for the first time in maritime history a tragic event took place.
Now retired I am currently involved in maritime accident reconstruction and safety consulting which brings across my desk the most troubling data relating to maritime events with all too often tragic results.
Good Watch
Thank you for your comments, Captain. Related to your comment on management pressure, I am bothered by the repeated comments that the captain”decided to sail”, which seems to imply that management was not involved. Ultimately, it is the master’s decision to make, but the pressure from the management office to sail and to maintain schedules can be intense.
The “decided to sail” to me was indicative of management pressure; as to “master’s decision” this not always that simple as experienced Master Mariners are quite aware.
Apart from all that side of things the route I suggested would have lead a 40 year old 22 knot vessel to the West of the storm path and once on the latitude of the “eye” had the Bahama Group between them and the northwards moving storm centre. Turning into the Old Bahama Channel they would have been South of the entire storm with a buffer of the Island Group to their North.
Perhaps I should add that as Master I actually took this route during a similar hurricane warning now many years ago.
Good Watch
Your suggested course makes sense. As I recall, however, from my days in container shipping, weather routing was usually dictated by the office. The only time I recall a master getting into trouble with management was when he deviated from the prescribed weather routing and lost boxes off the deck.