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''El Faro'' was a United States-flagged, combination roll-on/roll-off and lift-on/lift-off cargo ship crewed by U.S. Merchant Mariners. Built in 1975 by Sun Shipbuilding & Drydock Co. as ''Puerto Rico'', the vessel was renamed ''Northern Lights'' in 1991 and finally ''El Faro'' in 2006. It was lost at sea with all hands on October 1, 2015, after losing propulsion during Hurricane Joaquin. ''El Faro'' departed Jacksonville, Florida, bound for Puerto Rico on the early morning of September 30, 2015, when then-Tropical Storm Joaquin was several hundred miles to the east. The following morning, after Joaquin had become a Category 3 hurricane, the vessel likely encountered swells of and winds in excess as it sailed near the storm's eye. Around 7:30 a.m. on October 1, the ship had taken on water and was listing 15 degrees; however, the last report from the captain indicated the flooding to be contained. Shortly thereafter, ''El Faro'' ceased all communications with shore. On October 2, the ship was declared missing, and an extensive search operation was launched by the United States Coast Guard, with help from the Air Force, Air National Guard, and Navy. They recovered debris, a damaged lifeboat, and an unidentifiable body. ''El Faro'' was declared sunk on October 5. The search was called off at sunset on October 7, by which time more than had been covered by aircraft and ships. The Navy sent the USNS ''Apache'' to conduct an underwater search for ''El Faro'' on 19 October 2015. The Apache identified a vessel on 31 October "consistent with (''El Faro'' ) cargo ship...in an upright position and in one piece." The next day, 1 November 2015, the Navy announced a submersible had returned images that identified the wreck as the El Faro.〔https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/trafficandcommuting/navy-finds-ship-that-sank-near-bahamas-in-hurricane-joaquin/2015/11/02/0e824e3c-8195-11e5-9afb-0c971f713d0c_story.html〕 ==Construction and earlier career== ''El Faro'' was built by the Sun Shipbuilding and Drydock Corporation in Chester, Pennsylvania, in 1975 as ''Puerto Rico''.〔 As operated by the Navieras de Puerto Rico Steamship Company, the ''Puerto Rico'' hauled cargo to and from the U.S. East Coast for 15 years. In 1991, it was purchased by Saltchuk Resources, the parent company of TOTE Maritime, and renamed ''Northern Lights''. Two years later, it was lengthened by at Alabama Shipyard, Inc.〔 Under Saltchuk, it frequently sailed between Tacoma, Washington, and Anchorage, Alaska. In February 2003, just before the United States-led invasion of Iraq, the vessel was chartered by the United States' Military Sealift Command as part of Operation Enduring Freedom; the vessel ferried Marines and supplies from San Diego, California, to Kuwait.〔 On March 19, while in the Persian Gulf, the vessel came under fire from missiles. The explosions rocked the ship, but caused no damage or injuries. Through October 2005, near the end of ''Northern Lights'' chartered service, the vessel made 25 voyages and 49 port calls. Collectively, 12,200 pieces of military equipment—weighing in all—were transported by the ship. Robert Magee, then president of TOTE Maritime, and the crew of ''Northern Lights'' were praised by United States Air Force general Norton A. Schwartz: "You and your team of professionals showcased the US flag industry at its best."〔 Following completion of its military services in 2006, the ship was transferred by TOTE Maritime to its subsidiary company Sea Star Lines and renamed ''El Faro''. The vessel returned to its original route and served as a "lifeline" between the United States and Puerto Rico.〔 When it sank on October 1, 2015, the ''El Faro'' was scheduled to return to Tacoma to relieve another vessel.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「SS El Faro」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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