I started looking for confirmation a bit ago and really appreciate your source. A search for ‘Merchant Mariner Ship ruh roh’ led me to the El Faro, but no articles contained the actual quote. On my phone browser it was quoted on 339, just as a heads up for anyone else.
The last few pages of the transcript are chilling. I don't know who this helmsman, AB-1, is, but I deeply feel for them.
(Implied) heavy content
CAPT: come on @AB-1. gotta move. (we) gotta move. you gotta get up. you gotta snap out of it- and we gotta get out.
AB-1: okay.
CAPT: come up.
AB-1: okay.
AB-1: help me.
CAPT: don't panic. don't panic.
CAPT: work your way up here.
AB-1: I can't.
AB-1: help me.
CAPT: you're okay. come on.
CAPT: don't freeze up @AB-1. come on.
AB-1: I can't *.
CAPT: yes you can *.
AB-1: my feet are (slipping/slippery).
AB-1: I need a ladder.
CAPT: we don't have a ladder @AB-1.
AB-1: (a line).
CAPT: I don't have a line @AB-1.
AB-1: you gunna leave me
AB-1: (I need someone to/help somebody) help me. (you don't wanna/you gunna) help me?
CAPT: I'm the only one here @AB-1.
AB-1: (I can't).
AB-1: I can't.
AB-1: (I'm gone/I'm a goner).
That's 2nd Mate Danielle Randolph who quoted Scooby. She and others tried to get the Captain to further change course around the weather. He did not. Everyone died.
He just didn't take the storm seriously enough and once things became dire it was clear that neither the ship nor the crew were properly set up to make it through.
Bad maintence and poor training by the ship owner TOTE were the secondary causes.
Once they abandoned ship they had little chance of survival due to outdated lifeboats and equipment.
As bad as the Captain screwed up, in the end he seemed a good person. After giving the order to abandon ship, one of the crew understandably panicked and froze up. Captain Davidson did not leave him. He spent his final minutes trying to help that last man as the ship sank under them.
The last we heard of 2nd Mate Randolph she had gone in search of life vests for herself, the Captain, and the panicked crewmen. She was there to the end as well.
First part of your comment isn't true. I can't find any source to back that up.
The company did screw up in plenty of other ways. Then they tried to weasle out of the consequences as your link illustrates,. So still villians.