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USCG Sets 2nd Round of Hearings for El Faro

Maritime Activity Reports, Inc.

May 2, 2016

El Faro (File photo: TOTE)

El Faro (File photo: TOTE)

The U.S. Coast Guard will conduct a second round of public hearings May 16-27 for the Marine Board of Investigation into the loss of the U.S.-flagged cargo ship El Caro, and its 33 crewmembers. 
 
The Coast Guard completed its first round of hearings in February 2016.

The second round of hearings, to be held in Jacksonville, Fla., will focus on shipboard operations, cargo loading, lashing and stowage operations for the accident voyage while also examining the vessel's analysis of stability and weather conditions forecasted and encountered, the Coast Guard said. In addition, the regulatory oversight for the El Faro will be examined to determine and potential implications of that oversight on the accident voyage.
 
A third hearing (date to be determined) will examine additional elements of the investigation including crew witnesses, TOTE company officials and contents of the El Faro's Voyage Data Recorder, if it can be recovered and analyzed.
 
The National Transportation Safety Board, is conducting its own investigation, and will fully participate in the Marine Board of Investigation hearings.

The 790-foot, U.S.-flagged, cargo ship El Faro sank October 1, 2015, during Hurricane Joaquin while sailing from Jacksonville, Fla. to San Juan, Puerto Rico. All 33 crewmembers aboard were lost in the accident.
 
According to the Coast Guard, the investigation aims to determine as closely as possible the factors that contributed to the accident; whether there is evidence that any act of misconduct, inattention to duty, negligence or willful violation of the law on the part of any licensed or certificated person contributed to the casualty; and whether there is evidence that any Coast Guard personnel or any representative or employee of any other government agency or any other person caused or contributed to the casualty.

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