Memorial service held at Port Everglades for El Faro crew

Wreath of flowers tossed into ocean in honor of 33 crew members

PORT EVERGLADES, Fla. – A memorial service was held Thursday at Port Everglades to honor the men and women aboard the cargo ship El Faro.

The ship is believed to have sank near the Bahamas during Hurricane Joaquin with 33 people on board.

El Faro had docked from Port Everglades many times in the past, bringing many people to the memorial to honor its crew.

"We remember the crew of El Faro and pray that they have eternal peace in your arms and the light perpetual shines upon them. Amen," the Rev. Ronald Perkins said during the gathering.

Perkins blessed the memorial before a wreath of flowers was tossed into the ocean to remember the victims.

The cargo ship sank Oct. 1, while in the path of the Category 4 storm. The U.S. Coast Guard spent days searching the sea for traces of the victims, but only one body was found in a survival suit.

At Port Everglades, each of the victims' names was read one by one. There were prayers and somber songs and tears at the memorial, because some people knew several of the victims personally.

"We would interact with them quite often, and for something like this to happen, it touches home because one week they're there and you expect them to come back the next week. And, you know, it just didn't happen that way, so it hurts," Cedrick Titus said.  

Since the incident, the 40-year-old ship's condition has been questioned, with some saying that it was not seaworthy.

The family of one crew member has since filed a $100 million lawsuit against the vessel's owner, TOTE Maritime and its captain.

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About the Authors:

Terrell Forney joined Local 10 News in October 2005 as a general assignment reporter. He was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, but a desire to escape the harsh winters of the north brought him to South Florida.

Amanda Batchelor is the Digital Executive Producer for Local10.com.