US Coast Guard Hearing Probes El Faro Sinking in Hurricane
The captain of the U.S. cargo ship that sank off the Bahamas in a hurricane last fall, killing all 33 people on board, was responsible for decisions that put the vessel in the path of the storm, a shipping company executive testified on Tuesday. Captain Michael Davidson, a veteran mariner from Maine, was at the helm of the 790-foot (241-meter) El Faro for its doomed cargo run between Florida and Puerto Rico. The ship disappeared on Oct. 1 after he reported losing propulsion and taking on water. U.S.
U.S. Coast Guard's El Faro Probe Starts Today
The U.S. Coast Guard begins hearings on Tuesday to investigate whether misconduct or negligence were factors in the sinking of the cargo ship El Faro during a hurricane last fall, an accident that left the vessel's 33 crew members dead. The 790-foot (241-meter) El Faro went down off the Bahamas on Oct. 1 while on a cargo run between Florida and Puerto Rico. It was the worst cargo shipping disaster involving a U.S.-flagged vessel in more than three decades. The Coast Guard's Marine Board of Investigation will first trace the history of the ship by examining its inspection reports, crew qualifications and past operations. Officials from Tote Maritime Puerto Rico…
Judge to Decide Ferry Crash Sentencing
Questions about the 2003 ferry crash that killed 11 people are expected to be answered today. A judge will decide whether to accept a probation officer's recommendation that ex-ferry director Patrick Ryan and ferry pilot Richard Smith be sentenced to six months or less in jail. The judge will also decide whether damages against the city in the fatal crash can be limited under a 19th century maritime law. New York City could face tens of millions of dollars in civil judgements.
