The ill-fated cargo ship El Faro met all rules and regulations set by the American Bureau of Shipping and passed its annual U.S. Coast Guard inspection in March. Although repairs to its boilers were scheduled for after the ship was supposed to return to Jacksonville.
That’s what the National Transportation Safety Board said Tuesday after investigating the ship’s sinking in Hurricane Joaquin.
The NTSB said the ship’s captain, Michael Davidson, emailed shipping company TOTE Services with intentions to sail 65-miles outside the storm’s projected path. But the storm hit the ship directly after taking a turn south.
The Navy plans to begin a new search around the El Faro’s last known location by Saturday. Investigators hope to recover the ship’s voyage data recorder, which is quickly running out of battery.
