On February 17, the U.S. investigators concluded the public phase of a probe into the sinking of the El Faro cargo ship, with final comments from the parties of interest and a 33-second moment of silence in memory of the crew who died.
The U.S. flagged El Faro sank during Hurricane Joaquin on Oct. 1, 2015. All 33 of the El Faro’s crew perished in the accident. The Coast Guard’s Marine Board of Investigation, convened for the most serious accidents, heard two weeks of testimony in the last of a six-week hearings , held in Jacksonville, Florida.
These series of hearings have ensured sufficient evidence for a forthcoming analysis, Reuters reports. In particular, a report is due to be issued providing proper recommendations in order to prevent another disaster. Specifically, the third round of testimony proved that the El Faro had little room for troubles on its final voyage, operating with a minimal stability margin.
Investigators further said they were inspired by the relatives of the crew who attended the three rounds of hearings.
El Faro captain’s Michael Davidson widow shared a closing statement through an attorney mentioning that testimonies showed Davidson to be a careful professional who had refused to leave a crew member behind.
