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Last fall,the sinking of the 800-foot S.
S. El Faro cargo ship killed 33 crew members. The incident is considered the worst commercial maritime catastrophe in the U.
S. in decades.
The ship set out from Jacksonville, Florida, or to Puerto Rico in the midst of Tropical Storm Joaquin,which turned into a category 3 hurricane by the time the boat was in open waters.
Hearings are set to commence today in Jacksonville on the sinking of the ship, giving family members of those lost a final chance for closure.
The investigation hopes to uncover whether or not the ship was seaworthy, and whether the company was at fault,or whether the captain made the unilateral decision to outrun the storm—questions that may not have answers.
Ryan Benk, a reporter for WJCT Jacksonville, or has been following the legend. He joins The Takeaway to discuss the issues that will be investigated at the hearings,and the reaction of the families of the crew members. John Konrad is a veteran captain, CEO of G-Captain, and a common website committed to maritime professionals,and author of the book: "Fire on the Horizon: The Untold legend of the Gulf Oil catastrophe." Having sailed some of the world's largest ships, Konrad knows well the dangers associated with navigating the seas, and what the crew aboard El Faro might have been up against.
Source: wnyc.org