The Captains of Thor

What Really Caused the Loss of the SS El Faro in Hurricane Joaquin

De: Robert Frump

Narrado por: Pete Ferrand

Duración: 3 h y 23 m

Resumen del Editor

Was it the captain's fault, as many said? Or did the company, the Coast Guard, and the American Bureau of Shipping all have a hand on the helm of the SS El Faro as she steered too close to Hurricane Joaquin? This is an examination of a tragedy that has been well-researched and investigated - heroically so at times - by the United States Coast Guard and the National Transportation Safety Board. Three very well-done books have been published. All of these efforts produced detailed recommendations and observations and all are publicly available. I commend them to you.

My effort touches on the broad sweep and events of the tragedy and investigation, but if you want the detailed story of the final voyage of the ship, you’re better off with the other books. My main goal here is to show how the SS El Faro fit into a larger system and culture - one that I have been covering off and on as a journalist and author for 38 years.

It’s this system, I feel, that will result in another SS El Faro someday unless it is reformed.

Another note on style. My preference in non-fiction is “narrative.” In other words, whenever I can, I tell a story and show what is happening; I prefer that to “telling” the reader, because I think “showing” is more readily absorbed. Humans learn through stories. Storytelling rather than a lecture better illustrates the emotions at play here, as well as the moods, culture, and vibe of the ship and the industry. This does not mean I take a pure poetic license. The dialogue quoted here is real, not made up. The material is factual.

©2018 Robert R. Frump (P)2018 Robert R. Frump

The reference to Thor's Hammer...

The reference to Thor's Hammer... dozens of times the term hammer is mentioned in this boy! However, reading this book will affirm that corporations have taken the handle away from the Masters and left them with only the heavy part in the Masters' pockets... that simply Assists in the dragging of the Masters to the sea bottom! That, unfortunately denies a Chief witness to tragedy and allows only the corporate side to be heard at any hearing. Please read "Into The Raging Sea by Rachel Slade FIRST! You'll understand how the greatest volume of information EVER produced by the NTSB aligns both this book and and Ms. Slade's!!!

Very Informative! Well Done!

Enjoyed the style of story telling very much. Inspires me to read as much as I can get my hands on to better understand how this happens in 2015!!!
Thank you for this great account!

Great Observation

My name is Kurt Bruer I was on El Faro two months before she sank and was on her for a year and on that particular run for 15 years. I knew all the crew members except for the polish riding gang and I contacting Robert and encouraged him to write this book.
From what I observed and experience on the El Faro
was that Captain Davidson he was inexperienced with that particular run and handling storms during Hurricane season. In 15 years I've never seen a captain take the course he took on that day. You always took the safer alternative to avoid any storm and that was hugging the coast and taking the hole in the wall near the Bahamas but I believe he was pressured in doing what he did because of the company disregard of safety and greed. Time is money for these cargo ships and if they are late they will be fined and also off schedule. The ship was in horrible condition and way past it's prime. Do you ever use your classic car for work purposes on long trips? That is how I would describe the situation and how the Jones act has it flaws regarding law of what the companies get away with. I was one of the first to contact the ntsb in regards of what I knew about the ship, captain and company. Davidson knew better but the pressure by the company got to him in the end and it's not easy getting another captains job in our industry. He over spent and was putting two daughters in prestige universities and at the the end it cost his life along with the 32. Speed and Greed is what killed the 33 and now it's been brushed under a rug and blamed a dead man that can't defend himself while the company gets a slap on the wrist along with ABS and coast guard. Maybe one day the truth will come out but who knows. It doesn't take a genius knowing the ship was disaster waiting to happen. Glad they got rid of all those old rust buckets once and for all. At the end families lost love ones and were paid very little for what happened because of an ancient law that was in place.