US navy gets ready to probe El Faro wreckage

A US navy salvage team was preparing yesterday to launch a remotely operated submersible to confirm that wreckage discovered near the Bahamas was that of the cargo ship El Faro, lost in a hurricane last month along with its 33 crew members.

The team is seeking to retrieve the ship’s voyage data recorder, similar to an airplane’s black box, as part of an investigation into what caused it to sink, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said. It was the worst maritime accident involving a US-flag vessel since 1983.

The cargo ship’s owner, Tote, has been hit with four lawsuits filed by relatives of the crew, alleging the ship was not seaworthy and should have changed course to avoid Hurricane Joaquin.