Into the Raging Sea: Thirty-Three Mariners, One Megastorm, and the Sinking of El Faro by Rachel Slade

On October 1st, 2015 the Chinese registered cargo ship El Faro sank in a hurricane, a tragedy that cost 33 lives. Into The Raging Sea: Thirty-Three Mariners, One Megastorm, and the Sinking of El Faro by Rachel Slade chronicles the investigation of what went wrong and examines the people and the culture of the commercial shipping industry that led to the deadliest American maritime disaster since the Andrea Doria.

The El Faro was an aging roll-on roll-off cargo ship that sailed in the waters between Florida and Puerto Rico. Tote Maritime, owner of the ship, had been under criticism for years prior as they were accused of cutting corners and cutting costs to maximize profits, sacrificing safety and reliability of their ships in the process. As the fateful voyage progresses, Rachel Slade recounts the events of the voyage leading to its tragic ending.

The narrative of Into The Raging Sea follows the lives of the El Faro’s crew. Among them were two young women who had finally gotten their feet in the door to the mostly male dominated line of work. Slade examines the lives and career choices of these women as well as the other members of the El Faro crew, focusing on their motivations and fears as the voyage begins.

Slade also investigates the conditions of El Faro and the environmental conditions that made the voyage so dangerous. Poor maintenance and inadequate safety equipment put the ship and crew at risk long before they ever encountered the hurricane. The combination of events, including an outdated radar system, mechanical issues, and the course chosen by the captain led to the El Faro's downfall.

In addition to the dangers of the voyage, Slade investigates the political and legal issues faced by Tote Maritime and the El Faro's operators which had serious implications for the people onboard. How much can be attributed to the company’s negligence and how much to the captain’s decisions are examined, as well as the lack of help from the Coast Guard in the search and rescue attempts.

Slade recounts the aftermath and the investigation of what happened in the final moments of the voyage and the ultimate sinking of El Faro. She captures each person’s experience on the devastated ship as well as the reaction of the families of those who perished and those who survived.

Into The Raging Sea is an exhaustive examination of the final voyage of El Faro and its aftermath. Through interviews with survivors, family members, and survivors of similar accidents, Slade has written a vivid, heartbreaking account of what happened on board the doomed ship. From Slade’s careful investigation, readers can learn much about the commercial shipping industry and the importance of proper safety precautions and maintenance if tragedies like this are to be avoided. This book is a must-read for those wanting to better understand one of the biggest maritime disasters of the century.