NTSB Abandons Search for El Faro’s Missing Voyage Data Recorder
The National Transportation Safety Board says it has accomplished its documentation of the wreck of the cargo ship El Faro and the related particles subject, however the vessel’s voyage information recorder (VDR) has not been situated.
No additional search missions for the VDR are deliberate, the NTSB mentioned.
“Over the years we’ve completed many investigations without the aid of recorders and other investigative tools,” mentioned NTSB Chairman Christopher A. Hart. “While it is disappointing that the voyage data recorder was not located, we are hopeful that we’ll be able to determine the probable cause of this tragedy and the factors that may have contributed to it.”
The 790-foot ship went lacking on October 1 throughout Hurricane Joaquin because it sailed on its common route from Jacksonville, Florida to San Juan, Puerto Rico. The wreck of the vessel was situated Oct. 31 in about 15,000 ft of water within the neighborhood of its final identified place close to Crooked Island, Bahamas. The ship is usually intact and oriented in an upright place, with its stern buried in roughly 30 ft of sediment, the NTSB has mentioned.
The wreck of the El Faro was initially situated utilizing side-scan sonar towed by the contracted U.S. Navy tug USNS Apache and was later confirmed on November 1 when investigators have been in a position to view video of the wreck obtained from CURV-21, a remotely operated automobile able to deep sea searches.
The NTSB mentioned that the video revealed that the navigation bridge construction and the deck under it had separated from the ship. The lacking construction included the mast and its base the place the voyage information recorder was mounted.
On November 11, the navigation bridge was discovered however neither the mast nor the VDR was discovered within the neighborhood, the NTSB mentioned.
The NTSB mentioned Monday that after 5 extra days of looking utilizing the CURV-21 ROV, it was decided that the VDR couldn’t be situated.
“The search and video documentation efforts of El Faro were completed on Nov. 15,” the NTSB mentioned in its replace Monday. “No further search missions are planned.”
We are instructed that the NTSB won’t be releasing images or video of the wreck for a number of extra weeks.
In early October, the NTSB contracted with the U.S. Navy to find the lacking ship, doc the wreckage and particles subject, and if doable, recuperate the voyage information recorder.
Like black packing containers carried on plane, VDRs constantly acquire key information from numerous sensors and methods onboard a ship and assist investigators establish the reason for an accident.
The NTSB launched its investigation into the sinking of the El Faro on October fifth after floating particles from the vessel was situated by Coast Guard searcher and rescue crews.
All 33 crew members have been misplaced within the sinking.
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