Local

Allegations of drug smuggling, 'reluctant' repairs, surface in Day 2 of El Faro hearings

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Day 2 of the Marine Board of Investigation hearings into the sinking of El Faro revealed never-before-heard allegations of drug smuggling and reluctant repairs to one of El Faro's sister ships.

Captain Jack Hearn, who was one of El Faro’s former masters, was first to testify.

Hearn said he was pushed out of TOTE Maritime, which was called Sea Star Line at the time, following an alleged drug smuggling incident on El Morro in 2013.

“I left the company. It was unplanned. That year on the El Morro was a difficult one. As we discussed, there was an incident on the ship with crew members,” said Hearn.

While the incident itself has nothing to do with the sinking of El Faro, it may raise questions about company oversight on the vessels.

Hearn said he was forced to resign or be fired. He resigned.

“I wrote to the president the following morning and withdrew my resignation and asked for an investigation but they responded with termination,” said Hearn. “I’m a contract employee through the union. The union picked up the process for grievance and through a year and a half it was never resolved, but the company made me an offer to resolve, the opportunity to expunge any record of it and part ways, which I accepted."

Trending on ActionNewsJax.com:

Hearn said Capt. Michael Davidson was on board El Morro when the incident happened. Once Hearn left the company, he handed the command of the ship over to Davidson.

The attorney for Davidson’s widow, William Bennett, also questioned Hearn about the incident.

“Weren’t you given a letter on July 15, 2013, which states 'Dear Mr. Hearn recently the U.S. Customs and Border Protection arrested El Morro crew members for smuggling 43 kilos of illegal drugs via the vessel?’ Do you recall that letter?” asked Bennett.

“Not completely because you’re only reading part of it,” said Hearn.

“Do you want me to read the full?” said Bennett.

“No,” said Hearn.

“I didn’t think so. I have no further questions for this witness,” said Bennett.

But Hearn also accused Sea Star Line of a reluctance to report holes in the cargo space on the second deck of El Morro. That cargo area is supposed to be watertight.

“The port engineer did not report it to the Coast Guard and, of course, I was disappointed because it was regulatory and part of my responsibility,” said Hearn.

Hearn said he later contacted the designated person ashore and let him know the damage was not reported to the Coast Guard.

“He wrote an email to the company, urging them to report the damaged area to the Coast Guard and to the American Bureau of Shipping,” said Hearn.

The ship, with its damaged cargo space, traveled back to Jacksonville, where Coast Guard and ABS personnel were able to inspect it.

Hearn said the incident strained his relationship with port engineers from then on.

Before Hearn was released for the day, Bennett told the Marine Board of Investigation that he didn’t think Hearn’s testimony was reliable.