On Oct. 1, the SIU will dedicate an El Faro memorial in Jacksonville, Florida, and also will conduct a brief ceremony at its affiliated school in Piney Point, Maryland. Moments of silence will be observed at all SIU halls at 11 a.m. local time.
Both the Jacksonville event and the Piney Point gathering are scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. Seafarers, retirees, family members and friends are welcome to attend.
Many of the 17 SIU crew members who perished aboard the El Faro were from the Jacksonville area, and the ship last set sail from that port. The monument being unveiled at the union hall on Belfort Road is a miniature lighthouse featuring 33 stars – one for each person who was part of the vessel’s final crew.
The Jacksonville ceremony will be immediately followed by a luncheon.
There is also an El Faro memorial at the waterfront park in Piney Point; it was formally dedicated in late April.
The El Faro sank near the Bahamas on Oct. 1, 2015, during Hurricane Joaquin. All hands were lost, including the 17 Seafarers, 11 members of the American Maritime Officers, and five Polish nationals.
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