As the crew and cadets aboard the Training Ship Empire State VI sailed from Port Everglades to San Juan, they paid tribute to the officers and crew of the SS El Faro including fellow Maritime College alum Richard Pusatere, the ship’s Chief Engineer. To honor the lost merchant mariners of the El Faro, all TSES VI officers, staff and cadets gathered for morning formation on May 30, at 0800 as they passed over the ship’s final resting place. Captain Morgan McManus ’92, Master of the TSES VI, blew one long blast of the ship’s whistle. A moment of silence was followed by the ringing of the ship’s eight bells. Three 1/C engine cadets along with SETO Sean Carswell dropped a wreath in the water to pay homage to El Faro’s officers and crew.

In September 2015, the SS El Faro, a U.S. Flag ship, departed Jacksonville, FL for San Juan, PR. Among the merchant mariners on the ship was Maritime College alum Richard Pusatere. El Faro encountered a hurricane while en route to San Juan, and the entire ship’s crew and cargo were lost. The disaster is known as one of the worst U.S. Flag maritime disasters in recent history.