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Shipwreck

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

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Shipwreck

Written by: Maeve McGoran
Narrated by: Maeve McGoran
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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 Politics & Government True Crime White Collar & Corporate Crime
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This book ranks as one of my favourites in the hundreds that I have read. Not only is the story gripping and ultimately compelling in its sadness and sense of futility, it is well written and Maeve reads her book beautifully. If I could leave 20 stars, I would.

A tragic story of a series of avoidable deficiencies and arrogance

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Very very well put together documentary. I never knew anything about this terrible tragedy and how it was reported on in this book was exceptional. The investigative reporter was empathetic to the families and gave them a voice against awful injustice. Thank you for sharing and my heart goes out to all of the friends and families that lost someone.

Well done

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Reenactment of the black box transcription was great, chilling in parts. The aftermath was a little long.

Well told true story

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