Two crew members missing as famed sailing ship sinks off North Carolina
The HMS Bounty sails past the Chicago skyline in 2003. The ship has been used in several movies.
October 29th, 2012
08:52 AM ET

Two crew members missing as famed sailing ship sinks off North Carolina

Crew members of a tall ship used for classic adventure films faced a harrowing real-life drama Monday as Hurricane Sandy forced them to abandon ship about 90 miles off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina.

Fighting waves towering 18 feet high and winds of 40 mph, a group from the HMS Bounty boarded two lifeboats, the Coast Guard said. Helicopter crews saved 14 people stranded in the Atlantic Ocean. But as of midday Monday, two people were still missing, and the ship had sunk, a Coast Guard spokesman said.

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Filed under: Hurricanes • North Carolina • Tropical weather • Weather
soundoff (46 Responses)
  1. Sinfully Yours

    These are some regular ol' Gilligans. Who in their right mind would take an "old world" sailing ship out in the middle of a hurricane. Darwin would be proud.

    October 29, 2012 at 11:32 am | Report abuse |
    • Fred

      The HMS Bounty has been successfully sailing the globe since it was built for the Mutiny on the Bounty.
      The crew was attempting to sail around the storm but were not aware of how large the storm actually was. The same is true for a Disney Cruise ship who ended up sailing into it when it was in Florida. Both ships should be getting weather and Coast guard communications but must have been suprized by the strength or size of the stom, proof is in the video of the Disney Ship who if they had known they were sailing into such a storm would have drained the pools, and secured items that fell off the shelves in the stores. Having sailed thru a CAT 3 on a Cruise ship I know what that Disney crew should have done. The only way this could have happened is they wern't warned. Oh and one more fact for you Skipper was the one who got them stranded. Have some respect for sea farers, we sail thru some scary weather.

      October 29, 2012 at 1:06 pm | Report abuse |
    • Chriz

      If you knew anything about ships and sail boats you would know that a boat is safer at large, trying to sail around the storm than to stay docked and get hit directly.

      October 29, 2012 at 6:31 pm | Report abuse |
    • Moron

      Chris, if you knew anything about sailing, you would know that it's a hell of a lot easier to step off the boat and get to safety when it's docked than trying to sail in a hurricane.

      October 29, 2012 at 11:42 pm | Report abuse |
    • Marky

      Once again, a lame landlubber, sitting in his living room in North Dakota, telling everyone what seasoned sailors "shoulda done"! It's better to go around the storm and be out at sea than on the shore. I recently saw this ship docked, and it was fantastic. Sad to hear of the loss of like and the sinking of the ship.......

      October 30, 2012 at 12:03 am | Report abuse |
    • LittleBuddy

      Gilligans Indeed!

      October 30, 2012 at 4:45 pm | Report abuse |
  2. Weathermologist

    It is now reported the ship has sank and two of those aboard are still missing.

    October 29, 2012 at 12:11 pm | Report abuse |
  3. Name s kel

    Maybe they had another munity on the Bounty,I hope all is well and they r safe.

    October 29, 2012 at 12:27 pm | Report abuse |
  4. cleareye1

    Imagine how difficult it was in the 16th century in one of these things with no real weather warnings except for experience at reading sky colors?

    October 29, 2012 at 1:17 pm | Report abuse |
  5. cleareye1

    What is wrong with these people?

    October 29, 2012 at 1:18 pm | Report abuse |
  6. Crazy

    Crazy as the day is long. What a waste of time!

    October 29, 2012 at 1:46 pm | Report abuse |
  7. jack

    Glad I lost my hand of poker for 3rd class ticket on this ship

    October 29, 2012 at 1:59 pm | Report abuse |
    • Sharon

      good one – Jack!

      October 29, 2012 at 5:04 pm | Report abuse |
  8. really?

    What idiot on this ship thought it was a good idea to navigate an old vessel into a hurricane (especially off the NC coast where similar vessels notoriously sank from similar storms). I read they were fairly close to the eye when they went down. Underestimating the size of the storm my butt, these guys went into the storm. If skipper made it, he should be up on charges for stupidity.

    October 29, 2012 at 2:06 pm | Report abuse |
    • NauticalMan

      While the Bounty was 50 years old, she was extensively rebuilt in Boothbay Harbor over a period of two years, and while authentic, it did have modern devices, engines etc., and should have been fairly safe.

      October 29, 2012 at 8:36 pm | Report abuse |
    • Chuck

      Another genius who probably never actually sailed a ship of any kind.

      October 30, 2012 at 12:07 am | Report abuse |
    • LittleBuddy

      @Chuck, I sailed a weiner boat into your mum!

      October 30, 2012 at 4:46 pm | Report abuse |
  9. Capt Jack Sparrow

    Yarrrrr

    October 29, 2012 at 2:33 pm | Report abuse |
  10. SH

    Poor Bounty... If only it had headed into the Chesapeake or other safer place to wait it out. Why on earth were you guys where you were with this storm out there. ðŸ™

    October 29, 2012 at 3:04 pm | Report abuse |
  11. brendan mahoney

    i have to agree with cleareye,makes you respect the seafareres of old who were mostly press ganged into these situations

    October 29, 2012 at 4:06 pm | Report abuse |
  12. Bones

    Seriously? How could you NOT have heard about this pending hurricane? Especially if you are a sailor.

    October 29, 2012 at 7:41 pm | Report abuse |
  13. Mike B

    HMS BOUNTY, WAS NOT AWARE OF STORM ?, C'MON. REALLY

    October 29, 2012 at 8:31 pm | Report abuse |
  14. Sea Wench

    Godspeed, Bounty and brave crew members. So sad to see this fair ship lost at sea.

    October 30, 2012 at 12:21 am | Report abuse |
  15. Sea Hag

    HAAA HA-HA-HA-HA. HAAAAA HA-HA-HA-HA.

    October 30, 2012 at 12:23 am | Report abuse |
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