Wreckage of missing El Faro cargo ship located

[webfact]

Wreckage of missing El Faro cargo ship located



BAHAMAS: -- The US Navy says it believes it has found the wreckage of a cargo ship which went missing off the Bahamas during Hurricane Joaquin last month.

The El Faro disappeared while sailing from Florida to Puerto Rico with 33 crew on board. It sent out a distress signal on 1 October, saying it had lost power and was taking on water.

Debris was spotted in the ocean in the days after it disappeared, and one body was recovered.

If the discovery is confirmed, attempts are to be made to locate and recover the voyage data recorder.


-- (c) Copyright Euronews 2015-11-02

[55Jay]

Helluva way to go.

[Expat1]

Yes, it sure is a bad way to go. And people do not realize this happens 200 times a year on average, even with very large ships. The number should reduce dramatically due to the govt and science finally recognizing "rogue wave" phenomena and taking expedient measures regarding it. This was not the case here however, this was simple ole hurricane destruction but that is bad enough.

[ozyjon]

Yes as a sailor i can understand the power of

the ocean but it leaves me wondering how

these things happen nowadays with all the

technology available.

[waldroj]

This was an old ship (40 years old)! But, wave heights were not excessive for a vessel this size, reportedly peaking around 14m.

One report noted that, prior to loss of contact with the ship, it radioed a distress call that propulsion had been lost, it had taken on water, and suffered a 15-degree list.

A ship which loses propulsion loses the ability to point its bow into the waves thus making it likely to take waves broadside. This is an extremely dangerous situation which may have led to the ship capsizing soon after contact was lost (and before crew members had time to abandon the vessel in lifeboats or life rafts).

There was also a report that the ship had some issues (see http://edition.cnn.com/2015/10/08/us/el-faro-missing-ship/). No doubt, this will be considered in the National Transportation Safety Board Inquiry into the ship’s loss.

[55Jay]

Yes, it sure is a bad way to go. And people do not realize this happens 200 times a year on average, even with very large ships. The number should reduce dramatically due to the govt and science finally recognizing "rogue wave" phenomena and taking expedient measures regarding it. This was not the case here however, this was simple ole hurricane destruction but that is bad enough.

I was always aware of the term "rogue wave" but your mention of it sent me off to google land for some light reading. Interesting stuff.

[oldsailor35]

This was an old ship (40 years old)! But, wave heights were not excessive for a vessel this size, reportedly peaking around 14m.

One report noted that, prior to loss of contact with the ship, it radioed a distress call that propulsion had been lost, it had taken on water, and suffered a 15-degree list.

A ship which loses propulsion loses the ability to point its bow into the waves thus making it likely to take waves broadside. This is an extremely dangerous situation which may have led to the ship capsizing soon after contact was lost (and before crew members had time to abandon the vessel in lifeboats or life rafts).

There was also a report that the ship had some issues (see http://edition.cnn.com/2015/10/08/us/el-faro-missing-ship/). No doubt, this will be considered in the National Transportation Safety Board Inquiry into the ship’s loss.

But why were the crew lost. Surely they had modern life boats

[Catoni]

This was an old ship (40 years old)! But, wave heights were not excessive for a vessel this size, reportedly peaking around 14m.

One report noted that, prior to loss of contact with the ship, it radioed a distress call that propulsion had been lost, it had taken on water, and suffered a 15-degree list.

A ship which loses propulsion loses the ability to point its bow into the waves thus making it likely to take waves broadside. This is an extremely dangerous situation which may have led to the ship capsizing soon after contact was lost (and before crew members had time to abandon the vessel in lifeboats or life rafts).

There was also a report that the ship had some issues (see http://edition.cnn.com/2015/10/08/us/el-faro-missing-ship/). No doubt, this will be considered in the National Transportation Safety Board Inquiry into the ship’s loss.

But why were the crew lost. Surely they had modern life boats

With loss of power and taking waves 30 feet or higher on the beam, in the middle of a storm of hurricane strength, and with a 15 degree list.. it might have been next to impossible to launch any lifeboats..... and maybe even impossible to get to them and launch them on the open deck in those extreme weather conditions...

They probably did not expect to lose power. That loss of power probably doomed them in those conditions... with high winds... and unable to keep the bow headed into the waves.. she would have wallowed in the troughs of the waves..... and capsized and gone down....

[waldroj]

Oldsailor35

A sad reality is that abandon-ship drills are usually done in much calmer conditions (for obvious reasons). Thus, even well trained crew can be overwhelmed in severe weather conditions, especially when the ship is listing.