JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Family and community members gathered Wednesday to mark 10 years since the El Faro cargo ship sank, claiming 33 lives.
The 790-foot Jacksonville-based vessel went down on October 1, 2015, near the Bahamas during Hurricane Joaquin while en route to San Juan, Puerto Rico.
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“I want the world to know that my husband tried his best to save that vessel,” said Rochelle Hamm, widow of one of the crew members, during Wednesday’s memorial service. “He did his job and he did it with dignity. So, I’m proud to be his wife.”
Investigators said the captain chose to sail approximately 60 miles from the hurricane’s path, despite crew members’ requests to take a different route or return to port. Investigators determined he relied partly on outdated weather forecasting data.
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Search crews located the wreckage months later, nearly three miles deep on the ocean floor.
The tragedy led to major changes in maritime safety, including improved training and stricter oversight.
Today, a memorial stands at Dames Point Park, beneath the north side of the Dames Point Bridge, serving as a permanent reminder of the 33 lives lost and the ongoing commitment to preventing similar tragedies.
The El Faro disaster remains one of the deadliest commercial maritime accidents in U.S. history, resulting in the highest death toll for a U.S. commercial vessel sinking in almost 40 years.