On October 1st 2015 the “El Faro” cargo ship was lost at sea.  All 33 members of the crew were lost with her.  A few members of the CTH community have family connections to the vessel. Our thoughts and prayers for comfort are with all of the families as they revisit the emotional pain from their loss.

Yesterday, a 10 month long effort to recover the Voyage Data Recorder (VDR), from a depth of over 15,000 feet in the Atlantic, was successfully concluded.

The VDR which includes voice communication, radio transmission and navigation data from the El Faro was secured by the NTSB and arrived in port yesterday for transport to the national office of the NTSB in Washington DC.

The VDR was attached to the mast of the El Faro above the bridge. The distance from the Mast to bulkhead on the sea floor speaks to the severity of the top-side storm impact that was taking place before the vessel was taken by the sea.  

The force of the storm was so severe the entire bridge and crew quarters separated from the deck before the Fargo sank.  There is still much to be learned about what actually took place.

The lack of any rescue or response effort to the distress calls prior to the sinking have made the entire event much more painful for the families.

For those who have followed the story, here’s the latest:

CBS Media Report:

NTSB Press Briefing Yesterday as the VDR was brought to port:

NTSB released footage (no audio) of the recovery of the Voyage Data Recorder:

Unfortunately, regardless of content the NTSB will not release the audio recordings from the bridge and intercom system within the El Faro to the families of the lost souls.  However, the NTSB has promised to give the families 48 hours advanced notice -and an advanced copy- of the recording transcript(s) before they are released to the public.