TOTE reaches settlement with 10 families of El Faro crew

Meanwhile, the United States Coast Guard will hold its first Marine Board of Investigation hearing on the largest U.S. maritime tragedy in decades from Feb. 16 through Feb. 26 in Jacksonville, Fla.    Ten families of the 33 crew members who died when the cargo ship El Faro sank off the Bahamas on Oct. 1 last year during Hurricane Joaquin have reached a settlement with TOTE Maritime Puerto Rico. They are the families of five regular crew members as well as five Polish shipyard workers who were working on the ship prior to a planned shipyard visit.
   Meanwhile, the United States Coast Guard has announced a Marine Board of Investigation hearing on the tragedy will be held from Feb. 16 to Feb. 26 in Jacksonville, Fla.
   “The first hearing session will focus on the pre-accident historical events relating to the loss, the regulatory compliance record of the El Faro, crewmember duties and qualifications, past operations of the vessel and the Coast Guard’s search and rescue operations,” USCG said in a statement.
   “During a later hearing session (date to be determined) the accident voyage, including cargo loading, weather conditions and navigation will be examined in detail,” it added.
   The National Transportation Safety Board, which is conducting its own investigation, will fully participate in the Marine Board of Investigation hearings.
   According to a notice of settlement filed with the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, the estates of crew members that chose to settle with TOTE will each receive $500,000 for pre-death and suffering damages and an agreed upon, but undisclosed, amount for economic loss.
   The families reaching settlements include those of the Michael Davidson, the master of the ship; Richard Pusatere, chief engineer; Keith Griffin, the first assistant engineer; Howard Schoenly, the second assistant engineer; Roan Ronald Lightfoot, the bosun; and the families of the five Polish shipyard workers: Piotr Krause, Marcin Nita, Jan Podgorski, Andrzej Truszkowski, and Rafal Zdobych.