HMS Bounty Crew Abandon Ship While Battling Hurricane Sandy
Officers said 16 people were aboard the 180-foot, three-masted tall ship HMS Bounty. The ship was about 90 miles southeast of Hatteras, N.C., early Monday morning when Coast Guard officials said the crew put on cold-water survival suits and lifejackets and abandoned ship in two 25-man lifeboats with canopies.
Officers said the vessel was taking on water Sunday night and was without propulsion. Crewmen said the Bounty was about 160 miles west of the eye of Hurricane Sandy.
The Coast Guard said two MH-60 Jayhawk helicopters were sent in to rescue the crew around 6:30 a.m. The 14 rescued crew members are being flown to the closest Coast Guard base to get medical treatment.
Officials said two other aircraft are still working to find the last two missing crew members.
Officials received a distress call from the ship but lost communication with the crew late Sunday evening. An HC-130 Hercules was dispatched to the ship’s location after the rescue crews got a signal from the ship’s emergency position radio beacon.
The aircraft crew was eventually able to reestablish communication with the Bounty’s crew.