Sinking of US Cargo Vessel SS El Faro

Near Acklins and Crooked Island
Bahamas
October1, 2015
This two-dimensional animation reconstructs the sequence of events leading to the sinking of the US-flagged cargo vessel SS El Faro in the Atlantic Ocean near Acklins and Crooked Island, Bahamas, which occurred on the morning of October 1, 2015.
The animation displays the position of El Faro as a yellow circle, and a solid white line indicates the track path of the vessel. During the animation, the planned course and proposed course changes for El Faro are shown as dotted white lines.
The Voyage Data Recorder (VDR) was recovered on August 8, 2016. The VDR retained the last 26 hours of conversation on the bridge and vessel operating data. Data from the VDR were used to determine the position and heading of the accident vessel. The bridge audio from the VDR was also used in reconstructing the sequence of events in the accident. The animation does not depict visibility conditions at the time of the accident. The animation includes audio narration, and the script of the narration is appended to this description/disclaimer.
The animation begins with an overall map of the area between Jacksonville, Florida and San Juan, Puerto Rico. An inset photograph of the fully loaded El Faro is shown in the upper right side of the screen, and the typical course from Jacksonville to San Juan traveling to the east of the Bahama Islands is depicted. An inset photograph shows the VDR in its position on El Faro before the voyage; the inset transitions to a photograph of the VDR in its location on the bottom of the ocean before it was recovered. An arrow indicating north, and a scale are shown in the lower left side of the screen.
The departure of the El Faro on September 29, 2015 at 9:48 pm Easter Daylight Time (EDT) is indicated, along with the position and development of Hurricane Joaquin from a tropical depression through a tropical storm to a hurricane. A series of predicted storm tracks are animated, indicating that the storm was consistently predicted to move
southwest, then turn north. The National Hurricane Center’s Best Track (the actual track calculated after the accident) is also shown.
The date and time in EDT of selected events are displayed on the lower left side of the screen, as they are depicted or when mentioned in the narration. The sequence of events starts at 5:36 am EDT on September 30 with the earliest information available from the VDR. The position of El Faro is shown along with the predicted storm tracks from Bon Voyage System (BVS) and from the National Hurricane Center Sat-C, plus the National Hurricane Center Best Track. The hurricane position is interpolated on the BVS or Sat-C tracks to indicate where the hurricane would have been expected to be at any time. The BVS information is shown in blue, the Sat-C information is shown in red and the National Hurricane Center Best Track is shown in black. Beginning at 2:30 pm EDT on September 30, the animation changes to a closer view including the islands in the Bahamas, with the islands of San Salvador, Rum Cay and Samana Cay identified with text labels. The Old Bahama Channel north of Cuba is also labeled with text.
Beginning at 12:00 am EDT on October 1, the animation changes to a closer view centered on San Salvador, Rum Cay and Samana Cay, which are identified with text labels. The Old Bahama Channel north of Cuba is again labeled with text. An inset photograph looking at the aft and starboard side of El Faro is shown, superimposed with twelve white ovals to indicate the openings in the hull that would have allowed water to enter the second deck of the vessel.
Beginning at 5:43 am EDT on October 1, the animation changes to closer view showing the position, heading and track path of El Faro, along with Samana Cay identified with a text label. The vessel is shown 30 times actual size. Selected summarized or paraphrased comments from the bridge audio from the VDR are displayed as text along with the time in EDT at the time they occurred. The center of the hurricane along the National Hurricane Center Best Track is shown, along with the wind circulation directions. An inset photograph illustrates a scuttle from El Faro. An inset graphic indicates the listing of the ship to starboard or to port, as reported in the narration.
The animation is followed by an underwater photo of the stern of El Faro resting on the seafloor.

[FLaDave]

The Crew was aware they were heading right for a hurricane the whole voyage, and this was per the captains orders. The captain never even came out of his cabin till it was too late. The coast guard said they would have revoked the captains license if he would have survived.

[divoxpqr]

Gross hubris and In Peace all members of the crew.

[mrgreen]

My childhood friend Rafal Zdobych was one of the crew. RIP

[jamesboerner]

Despite how ghastly and even a bit negligent the whole thing is, this is absolutely wonderful work! Truly a fine accounting of what took place - professional and educational.

[ronaldgreen]

I've been on a ship during a light rain storm. And that was terrifying to me so I could imagine the terror the crew went thru.

[mudchair]

12 hours behind NHC? You might as well use tarot cards.

[Matt-mosl]

And the thought of 2nd mate, Danielle Randolph knowing they were headed directly into a hurricane the day before because she emailed her family saying they're headed straight for it, I can't imagine what she must had been feeling knowing that she knew they were headed for trouble and she knew how to get out of it long before but her advice was ignored. It was her watch during the overnight hours where the weather went down hill REAL fast. The only thing this gal was guilty of was being a loyal sailor who obviously was not will to break the chain of command as she had the chance to turn that ship of of harm's way while the captain was sleeping like a baby in his cabin and would have had no idea until he got up at 4am to see they were headed off HIS course and out of danger.

[evidenceismygod]

I worked on that ships boilers a year before she sank while we sailed from puerto Rico to mobile Alabama where we dry docked and worked on el faro for another month. This is sad a little creepy for me. Rip to all the souls lost...

[tmtube]

As captain, heading towards a hurricane I'd want every report updated asap. Shame the crew had to die because the captain was too lazy to stay up to date on their position in relation to the hurricane. Inexplicable, like the captain of the Bounty.

[patconlon]

---i dont think anyone was "sleeping"--They were in the middle of a Stage 3 Hurricane--A lot of noise---Stuff crashing around--- Alarms going off--The whole engine department was up, i assume, trying to keep the ship afloat--The steward dept. would of been up at 5 am--The only person that got a good nites sleep was the Captain

[comanche]

Good job by NTSB, as always.
Vanity Fair had an excellent article on this with background information about the pressure that the crews were subject to to make the trips on schedule and with the least amount of fuel burn possible. Blame the Shipping execs!

[selec]

This is a case where you throw the captain overboard, And save 32 lives.

[robm]

I remember reading stories about how El Faro & the crew used to brag about sailing through violent storm systems.. This wasn't their first rodeo, but was unfortunately their last. Seems to be due to the arrogance of a cocky captain.

[byLokie]

Holy Ghosts. The VDR was recovered 10 months after the vessel sank. Still retaining the last 26 hours of sailing

[thomasridley]

Why would any ship depend on data 6 hrs old. This was totally on the captain.

[JamminClemmons]

15, 000 feet of water just off the coast of San Salvador----What the hell! That's nearly 3 miles. I hadn't a clue. - RIP to those lost.

[garrydavis]

My heart goes out to the families of the crew as well as the family of the captain who made the fatal decisions

[rosspbarnett]

El Faro is deeper then the Titanic ! 40 + foot waves and 100 + MPH winds, how could anyone survive !

[alanmaroney]

that ship was moored in Baltimore harbor well over a year and did not move. ship looked in horrible shape and a rusting heap. hard to believe that was sea worthy

[dubious]

Why would you sail towards a storm?
I only drive a truck and check the weather and if its raining, I wont drive (I do a lot of loading/unloading and its nicer to work when its not raining..)