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Shipwreck

How a Captain, Company, and Culture Sank the SS El Faro

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About this listen

2015 saw the worst American maritime disaster in decades. The captain of the SS El Faro commanded his crew to sail straight into a hurricane. The ship sank and all 33 crew members died.

The sinking raised troubling questions: Why did the captain choose to sail into the hurricane? Why did no one on board or on shore stop him? And why was such an old and heavily loaded ship even allowed on the water?

The crew of the SS El Faro is gone, but their haunting final hours were preserved by the ship’s black box. In Shipwreck, we hear immersive reenactments from their last voyage and new revelations from investigators, crew members’ families, and mariners who sailed on previous voyages of the El Faro. The narrative investigation reveals how corporate greed, government indifference, and a culture of obedience led to the shocking outcome.

The same forces that sank the El Faro are still at work today—not just in cargo shipping, but across the entire maritime industry, which carries millions of passengers every year.

What happened to the El Faro wasn't just a tragedy. It was a warning we can't afford to ignore.

Special thanks to the Fund for Investigative Journalism for helping fund this reporting.

©2025 Sugar23 Podcast Group, LLC (P)2025 Audible Originals, LLC Engineering Labour & Industrial Relations Politics & Government True Crime White Collar & Corporate Crime
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As someone who was at sea for 15 years and married to a man who was at sea for over 40 years I found this incredibly powerful, frustrating and emotional. Every episode triggered memories of compatible situations. Very few can accurately describe life at sea, the challenges we face not only due to wind and weather but also complications and considerations of working within commercial pressures and legislation requirements. This is a thorough and authentic account which gives a fully rounded account and does justice to the 33 mariners who lost their lives. My sincere condolences to their families and friends

A powerful account of a modern shipping tragedy

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so very very sad I would have loved to hear more about everyone else on board
it's a very sad story and so incredibly outdated in terms of the captain having all the responsibilities in the decision making
I think the people who own the ship need to go out on it!! maybe they wouldn't have been so hard on the captain

incredible story deeply disturbing

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great narration & story & sensitive retelling of what went wrong around this tragedy. The way they analysed all aspects of the event helped with understanding why this happened.

interesting 360 analysis of what went wrong

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This brilliantly produced account of a marine tragedy is absolutely gripping. Based on actual black box recordings I felt as if I was going down with that ship. So real and with very evocative background effects. My heart broke for the crew of the vessel and their families. The subsequent enquiry is fascinating.

Vivid, gripping and a painful listen

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It felt very personal and great empathy for The lost crew and their loved ones

The largely unknown disaster of the American merchant ship El Faro being brought to life

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