ROCKLAND, Maine — Jay Sawyer looks out at Rockland Harbor, past his steel sculpture, and thinks of the 33 merchant mariners who lost their lives in a terrible storm on the cargo ship El Faro .

That was October 1, 2015. And ten years have not eased the pain Sawyer feels when he thinks of the tragedy. He is a graduate of Maine Maritime Academy and spent five years working at sea himself—what those in the business call “shipping out.”

Five of those on the El Faro were also graduates of Maine Maritime.

“That’s what I mean when I say I felt some responsibility. Maine Maritime, that’s me. Penobscot Bay, that’s me. Rockland, I was born here,” he says.

Sawyer used his skills as a welder and artist to create a tribute to those who were lost. The 10-foot steel sculpture, “El Faro Salute,” was

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