U.S. Coast Guard hearing probes El Faro sinking in hurricane

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

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, the company that operated the vessel said on Tuesday.

But members of a U.S. Coast Guard panel examining the sinking questioned that assessment and why the company had produced only a handful of email exchanges with the captain during the ill-fated voyage.

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.

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The Coast Guard's Marine Board of Investigation is looking for evidence of misconduct, inattention to duty, negligence or willful violation of the law by licensed or certified individuals.

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Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-ship-elfaro-idUSKCN0VP1JH

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World | Tue Feb 16, 2016 7:15pm EST
BY BARBARA LISTON

[IronLionZion]

1. The Coast Guard did everything they could

they sent out patrol boats and planes searching round the clock for this ship over several days and nights. It is NOT the fault of the coast guard.

[HooptieWagon]

2. I'm not seeing where anyone is faulting the Coast Guard.

[IronLionZion]

3. looking for evidence of misconduct, inattention to duty, negligence or willful violation of the law"

[HooptieWagon]

4. I believe they're referring to the shipping Co and captain/officers.

The Zcoast Guard isn't going to investigate themselves in a public hearing. If they find evidence of a flaw in their response, it will be adressed in an internal review.