Saturday marks the anniversary of last year's sinking of El Faro.
The cargo ship lost power and drifted into the path of Hurricane Joaquin, sinking off the coast of the Bahamas October 1, 2015, taking the lives of all 33 crewmembers on board.
Merchant Marine Chief Steward Lauren (who didn’t
want to give her last name) says for her, the sinking of El Faro was a reality check.
“I went through a Category 2 hurricane back in 2011, and we got tossed around the whole day. It was pretty hairy but not like ‘oh my God, I’m going to die.’ But all of a sudden, you’ve got that in the back of your head now,” she said.
She added, “You just gotta keep moving, you know? You just jump on the next ship and you just kind of move on.”
El Faro means “lighthouse” in Spanish. So, in remembrance of the ship’s crew, the Seafarers International Union Hall in Jacksonville has installed a small red and white lighthouse on its Belfort Road grounds.
A private dedication ceremony will be held Saturday for family and friends.
Reporter Cyd Hoskinson can be reached at choskinson@wjct.org, (904) 358.6351 and on Twitter @cydwjctnews
