http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/06/us/el-faro-missing-ship-hurricane-joaquin.html?_r=0
The tropical storm had been newly christened Joaquin not long before the cargo ship El Faro pulled out of the busy port in Jacksonville, Fla., last Tuesday, heading for San Juan, P.R. It was a familiar run for the old ship, ferrying goods on the 1,200-mile route, one it had made countless times.
For many experienced captains of large vessels, a tropical storm is cause for concern but not necessarily alarm. It is carefully monitored and meticulously charted. Tropical storms in the Caribbean are commonplace, and do not necessarily lead to canceled voyages, veteran captains said.
But by the time El Faro and its 33 crew members approached the Bahamas, the storm had turned treacherous far more quickly than initially forecast. It hurdled past hurricane categories 1, 2 and 3 until it settled at 4, a fearsome ball of wind, waves and rain, and then it sat patiently. By Thursday, El Faro was trapped in the crush of 50-foot seas and 120-knot winds. Listing 15 degrees, the ship, full of cargo containers and cars, was taking on water. The engine failed, making it impossible to steer the ship. Then, after a distress signal, all communication vanished....
“Most ships will encounter tropical storm conditions on a frequent basis, particularly at this time; it’s not something they would necessarily attempt to avoid,” said Capt. Joseph S. Murphy II, a licensed master mariner and commercial vessel captain who has been going to sea since 1968, including along El Faro’s route. “These vessels are very robust; they are capable of handling both types of situation — tropical storms, tropical depressions. And this ship has encountered those on numerous occasions.”...
Look at the track at the link and how the storm changed direction.
Modern vessels with a steel hull and a reliable power train can stand up to almost anything that nature can send their way. Add to that modern navigation systems and satellite weather data and it’s just another day in the office.
But, turn off the engines, and any ship is a sailing vessel on bare poles. A single stay sail can keep the stem into the wind and fight the storm. Lose that and you are at the mercy of the sea and the sea will spit your earthly beings onto the shore with only a hope of eternal redemption. Modern vessels have no masts and no stay sails. These brave men and women had no chance.