Missing Ship El Faro.

[Captain Kong]

I cannot find out if the dependents of the Pool Fisher dead received any compensation. searched google.
I tried the Marchioness/Bowbelle case and one Mother who lost her daughter received £300.
Not a lot to have a funeral with.
Brian.

[John Arton]

Here are some pictures and video of the sunken El Faro. The navigation bridge has been completely detached from the accommodation structure.
https://gcaptain.com/2016/01/03/ntsb...5#.VouDxTYrHIU
rgds
JA

[Ivan Cloherty]

Just listened to conversations between the Master and shore establishment and also the Coastguard and owners.

The Captain's conversation with the shore contact did not, in my humble opinion, express any urgency in his situation, it was only in the last few seconds that he advised the operator that his engines were unrepairable, that he had lost scuttles and had water in three holds that she realised (from the change in tone of her voice) the urgency although he had earlier advised her that all on board were safe, but with the proviso that the 'clock was ticking' then the phone went dead.

Again in my humble opinion the conversation between the owners and the coastguard which lasted nearly 5 minutes was dilatory to say the least, although the owners had had contact with the vessel earlier and knew it was in a hurricane, when they got no response from the ship did not bother to contact the emergency services or their own contracted rescue tugs. From previous reports that I've read it was Falmouth coastguards who first made the US coastguard aware of the vessel's problems who then contacted the owners, sad

[John Arton]

They are starting a 2nd search for the El Faro's voyage data recorder. What I cannot understand is that by regulation these VDR's have a recording unit that is situated on (usually) the monkey island and is fitted with an hydrostatic release unit so in the event of such a casualty, this unit will float free, emit a signal and can be located and its data downloaded. This is in addition to the VDR situated in the wheelhouse that in the event of an incident has to be manually backed up and recording halted.
rgds
JA

[Ivan Cloherty]

They are starting a 2nd search for the El Faro's voyage data recorder. What I cannot understand is that by regulation these VDR's have a recording unit that is situated on (usually) the monkey island and is fitted with an hydrostatic release unit so in the event of such a casualty, this unit will float free, emit a signal and can be located and its data downloaded. This is in addition to the VDR situated in the wheelhouse that in the event of an incident has to be manually backed up and recording halted.
rgds
JA

Apparently John (according to earlier reports) the VDR unit was fitted abaft the bridge housing, and as the vessel apparently sunk stern first it could have fouled something and been prevented from reaching the surface.

#64 Although the Captain sounded cool, calm and collected and had many years experience as Master, it did seem from is assertion that all was well on board and crew were safe, he may have misread the actual danger is ship was in, especally after stating there was water in three holds, and we can all assume what free surface effect that would have on the vessel's stability in a hurricane, but hindsight is a wonderful thing.