The Latest on the final hearing to determine probable cause in the sinking of the cargo ship El Faro, which killed 33 mariners (all times local):

9:45 a.m.

The National Transportation Safety Board's chairman says its findings from a more than two-year investigation into the sinking of the freighter El Faro will improve safety for future mariners.

Chairman Robert Sumwalt opened Tuesday's final investigative hearing that will determine probable cause for the Oct. 1, 2015, sinking, which killed all 33 crewmembers.

The El Faro sank after losing propulsion while sailing through a Category 3 hurricane.

Sumwalt said decisions by El Faro Capt. Michael Davidson to sail through the storm were important to the ship's demise, but said "there is more to this accident" including the 40-year-old ship's structural integrity.

The NTSB's investigation included retrieving the vessel's voyage data recorder, or "black box," which contained 26 hours of audio from the bridge and helped investigators understand decisions made by captain and crew in its final hours.

The board is set to deliver 53 safety recommendations.

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8:00 a.m.

Federal accident investigators are set to determine the probable cause of the sinking of the cargo ship El Faro in 2015, the worst maritime disaster for a U.S.-flagged vessel in decades in which 33 mariners were killed.

The National Transportation Safety Board will meet Tuesday to issue more than 50 safety recommendations related to the loss of the 790-foot-long (240-meter) ship on Oct. 1, 2015.

The El Faro sank 34 hours after leaving Jacksonville, Florida, on a cargo run to Puerto Rico. The freighter lost propulsion while sailing through Hurricane Joaquin, coming to rest 15,000-feet (4,570 meters) on the sea floor.

The NTSB says it will address problems with weather forecasting, management of the ship, the suitability of the ship's lifeboats and the oversight of the vessel by its owner, TOTE Maritime, Inc.