Family of Man Aboard Sunken Freighter Files $100M Lawsuit

Mass Maritime - 2JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — The family of a sailor aboard the cargo ship that sunk in roiling seas whipped up by Hurricane Joaquin is filing a $100 million lawsuit against the vessel’s owner and captain.

Willie Gary, an attorney representing the family of El Faro crew member Lonnie Jordan, says the suit was filed in Duval County Court on Wednesday.

Jordan was among the 33 men and women aboard the freighter that sunk Oct. 1 in 15,000 feet of water east of the Bahamas.

Massachusetts Maritime Academy graduates Keith Griffin, 33, and Jeffrey Mathias, 44, were among the crew.

Griffin was a native of Winthrop and graduated from the Academy in 2005. Mathias was from Kingston and graduated in 1996.

The suit alleges that Tote Maritime and its captain, Michael Davidson, were negligent in choosing to sail a 41-year-old cargo ship into dangerous weather. Gary said Tote needs to place more emphasis on employee safety and less on profits.

Tote did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment.

Comments

  1. The company should be sued, and should pay. It was a negligent decision to sail.

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