The Tribune

JACKSONVILLE

Associated Press

THE captain of the doomed freighter El Faro emailed his superiors asking about changing the route home the day before his ship sank in a hurricane near the Bahamas, according to testimony yesterday at the opening of an investigative hearing.

The email from Michael Davidson asked whether he could take a slower route home from Puerto Rico through the Old Bahama Channel after trying to outrun Hurricane Joaquin. The El Faro never made it that far. The ship sank in 15,000 feet of water near Crooked Island on October 1 after losing propulsion while sailing from Jacksonville to Puerto Rico, killing all 33 aboard.

Investigators are seeking answers about who bears responsibility for the ship sailing into a hurricane.

Philip Morrell, vice president of marine operations for Tote Services, told a US Coast Guard investigative panel that it is not company policy for captains to ask for permission about voyages or routes. Mr Morrell said the email showed common courtesy by the captain, not evidence that management dictated the ship’s route.

Investigators asked Mr Morrell why another Tote official, John Fisker-Anderson, replied “authorised” if Capt Davidson did not need permission to change his route. Capt Davidson had also described Hurricane Joaquin’s behaviour as erratic and unpredictable in his email.

“It’s clear in our manuals that he doesn’t need our permission. He advises us, it’s a one way conversation,” Mr Morrell said.

The panel also sought answers about why the El Faro had taken the longer, safer route near the coast of Florida in 2015 during Tropical Storm Erika. The ship could have taken that route on this trip as well, and the panel sought to learn whether the decision to take the faster route was influenced by Tote officials.

Keith Fawcett, a member of the Coast Guard’s investigation board, said that company emails show that there was a lot of discussion between Capt Davidson and Tote officials about Erika, a storm much weaker than Joaquin. Mr Fawcett said the emails mention risk assessments for Erika and other safety precautions.

He noted the lack of emails about Joaquin. “Did you send any risk assessments to Capt Davidson about Hurricane Joaquin?” Mr Fawcett asked.

“Not to my knowledge,” Mr Morrell replied.

The 40-year-old freighter was also scheduled to have its engine boilers serviced in November, Mr Morrell confirmed. But he said the maintenance was routine. It is still not known what caused the vessel’s loss of power before it sank.