El Faro Wreck Located in 15,000 Feet

[Steadman Uhlich]

News report today says the US Navy has used a deep submersible to locate the wreck of the El Faro.

Depth is 15,000 feet, which is deeper than the Titantic.

First report indicates it appears to be right side up, which is important for a chance to recover the ships "black box" voyage data recorder.

[JPA Cate]

So, do you think the robots could gain access and remove the voyage data recorder? or do you think it'll all just lie there for a very long time?

Ann

[a64pilot]

Enough money and you can raise a Russian nuke sub.
Question is is it worth the expenditure? What is there to learn? What do these boxes record anyway?


Sent from my iPad using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[Snowpetrel]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

...What do these boxes record anyway?

Ha, we were always warned when they were going to send the bridge black box tape (VDR or voyage data recorder) off for testing every so often. I think from memory it was 24 hrs of bridge audio + radar, GPS ,gyro, and all other feeds.

We generally used the 24 hrs to abuse the office, staff and company vocally into the bridge VDR microphones as much as possible, but I guess they didn't listen to it because we never got into any trouble.

Probably the tape just went to some lab guys who had a chuckle at our indiscretions.

[Steadman Uhlich]

Originally Posted by Snowpetrel

Ha, we were always warned when they were going to send the bridge black box tape (VDR or voyage data recorder) off for testing every so often. I think from memory it was 24 hrs of bridge audio + radar, GPS ,gyro, and all other feeds.

We generally used the 24 hrs to abuse the office, staff and company vocally into the bridge VDR microphones as much as possible, but I guess they didn't listen to it because we never got into any trouble.

Probably the tape just went to some lab guys who had a chuckle at our indiscretions.

While I don't think the loss of any life is humorous, the daily life aboard a ship at sea, and the actions of a typical crew can be.
I imagine each time one of the accident recordings is listened to by investigators, they probably hear the same thing in every case on the recorder: "Oh shtt!" (said in appropriate language for that crew)

[IdoraKeeper]

The initial reports indicate that the ship is upright and in one piece. To me it indicates a rapid foundering. If it had stayed at the surface in that weather it might have been in many pieces. If they take the time, the debris field might indicate if she rolled over and spilled her cargo and the righted herself on the way to the bottom. Hopefully the voyage recorder will be useful in the legal proceedings and enable compensation for the families that lost loved ones.

[Steadman Uhlich]

Originally Posted by Ann T. Cate

So, do you think the robots could gain access and remove the voyage data recorder? or do you think it'll all just lie there for a very long time?

Ann

Ann, the news reports I have seen so far seem to give the hope that the box could possibly be recovered, if the ship is upright, because it is located on the bridge deck level and external to the bridge.

Who would retrieve it?

I imagine the Navy would use this as an exercise in deep recovery of the box. Or this might become the next adventure for James Cameron.

[Steadman Uhlich]

Originally Posted by IdoraKeeper

The initial reports indicate that the ship is upright and in one piece. To me it indicates a rapid foundering. If it had stayed at the surface in that weather it might have been in many pieces. If they take the time, the debris field might indicate if she rolled over and spilled her cargo and the righted herself on the way to the bottom. Hopefully the voyage recorder will be useful in the legal proceedings and enable compensation for the families that lost loved ones.

Good points.

Today a news report stated that the owners of the ship filed in court of law to try to prevent any claims by families against the owner company.

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by Steady Hand

Good points.

Today a news report stated that the owners of the ship filed in court of law to try to prevent any claims by families against the owner company.

➥ El Faro owners seek to block families' legal action - CNN.com

[Rednavle]

So it sounds like the USNS Apache found the ship. Without going into details, I'm familiar with the outfit running the search kit. Good group of folks. They used a towed dual-frequency (57/240 kHz) sidescan sonar to locate the ship, and are presently diving on it with a deep-water (6000m) ROV with two Schilling hydraulic manipulators.

Both of these are US Navy assets. 57 kHz is impressive, while the resolution is poor the range is up to 1500m per side, which is quite good.

From what I've been able to learn, the VDR is located on the exterior of the house, near the top. The ROV should be able to get it, if it's still there....

[GrahamHO]

Originally Posted by Steady Hand

I imagine the Navy would use this as an exercise in deep recovery of the box. Or this might become the next adventure for James Cameron.

James Cameron might be too busy enjoying his New Zealand farm. Yes he is a NZ farmer as well as a film maker. I don't know where he gets all his energy.

[Formosa46AK]

One might say, “What difference, at this point, does it make!?!"
But ....
Oh! You want to know the truth about what happened.
And the courts want to hold someone responsible for the deaths of those men.
It "will be useful in the legal proceedings and enable compensation for the families that lost loved ones."
Now ....
Those are reasons to proceed with the investigation.

[Steadman Uhlich]

Originally Posted by Rednavle

So it sounds like the USNS Apache found the ship. Without going into details, I'm familiar with the outfit running the search kit. Good group of folks. They used a towed dual-frequency (57/240 kHz) sidescan sonar to locate the ship, and are presently diving on it with a deep-water (6000m) ROV with two Schilling hydraulic manipulators.

Both of these are US Navy assets. 57 kHz is impressive, while the resolution is poor the range is up to 1500m per side, which is quite good.

From what I've been able to learn, the VDR is located on the exterior of the house, near the top. The ROV should be able to get it, if it's still there....

Howdy!

I see this is your first post and you have just joined the forum. Welcome aboard CF!

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Rednavle.

[HappyMdRSailor]

This yesterday...

Bridge missing from ship, no VDR found...

NTSB: El Faro Wreck Missing Bridge and Voyage Data Recorder - gCaptain

Welcome to CF Rednavle!