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‘The clock is ticking' says El Faro captain in call to emergency call center

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Coast Guard called Saturday a “difficult day for everyone” in day five of the El Faro Marine Board of Investigation hearings.

For the first time since the sinking of El Faro in October, we heard the voice of its captain, Michael Davidson, the morning the vessel went down.

“Capt. Lawrence, Capt. Davidson Thursday morning 0700 we have a navigational incident, I'll keep it short,” said Davidson.

That is part of a voicemail message Davidson left for TOTE Services Manager of Safety and Operations John Lawrence.

AUDIO:El Faro Captain Davidson's call with TOTE Services' Designated Person Ashore

“We have a pretty good list. I wanted to contact you verbally here. Everybody's safe,” said Davidson.

Right after that phone call, Davidson tried reaching Lawrence again by calling the company’s emergency call center.

Call center: “Ship’s name?”

Capt. Davidson: “El Faro”

Call center: “Spell that. E-L.”

Davidson: “Oh man, the clock is ticking can I please speak with a QI (qualified individual).”

Call center: “Reconnecting now, OK?”

Call center: “Just give me one moment I'm going to reconnect you now, OK? Mr. Davidson?”

Davidson: “OK. Oh my God.”

Call center: “Can you tell me briefly what is the problem you're having?”

Davidson: “I have a marine emergency and I would like to speak with a QI. We had a hull breach, a scuttle blew open during the storm, we have water down in 3 hold, with a heavy list, we've lost the main propulsion unit. The engineers cannot get it going. Can I speak with a QI please?”

AUDIO:El Faro Captain Davidson's call with TOTE Services' Emergency Call Center

Families of some of the lost crew who sat quietly in the audience consoled each other at times.

Davidson was eventually connected with Lawrence.

Lawrence said toward the end of the conversation that Davidson told him he would activate the ship’s security alarm system.

“Both him and the second mate were very calm in this conversation. I then asked him are you able to pump out the hold and he said he thought he could,” said Lawrence.

That phone call set off a series of calls to the Coast Guard.

Lawrence said he was confident the crew would get through it and he expected to talk to Davidson after the last call.

An audio recording of the conversation between Lawrence and Coast Guard Petty Officer Matthew Chancery in Miami also played out.

Chancery: “Based off of all the info you’ve provided me, you know, I’m not in the distress phase currently.”

Lawrence: “OK.”

Chancery: “Because they’re not at risk of sinking and they have dewatered and I’m looking at they are without power and engines.”

Lawrence said as far he knows the ship had lost propulsion, not power, but didn’t correct the Coast Guard.

The Coast Guard also believed the ship was close enough to land where it could anchor but Lawrence said that was also not the case.

“Saying he was 48 miles off the island I just didn’t picture he was in a place to anchor,” said Lawrence.

According to Lawrence, he thought the Coast Guard had more updated information than he did and didn’t see a need to correct them.

The Marine Board of Investigation also asked Lawrence what he thought about the captain saying they didn’t plan to leave the ship.

“I was concerned. Once again, due to his calmness in giving me this information and the second mate's, I felt there was no immediate concern that this was going to go the way it did,” said Lawrence.

The hearings continue Monday with testimony from the Coast Guard.

AUDIO:Coast Guard Sector Miami's call with TOTE Services' Designated Person Ashore