Famous Tall Ship Bounty in Distress in Hurricane Sandy

Just got this from USCG PAO

Coast Guard responds to vessel in distress 160 miles from hurricane’s center
PORTSMOUTH, Va. — The Coast Guard is responding to a distressed vessel with 17 people aboard approximately 90 miles southeast of Hatteras N.C., Monday.

Coast Guard Sector North Carolina received a call from the owner of the 180-foot, three mast tall ship, HMS Bounty, saying she had lost communication with the vessel’s crew late Sunday evening.

The Coast Guard 5th District command center in Portsmouth subsequently received a signal from the emergency position indicating radio beacon registered to the Bounty, confirming the distress and position.

An air crew from Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City launched aboard an HC-130 Hercules aircraft, which later arrived on scene and reestablished communications with the Bounty’s crew.

The vessel is reportedly taking on water and is without propulsion. The Coast Guard is continuing to monitor the Bounty’s situation.

On scene weather is reported to be 40 mph winds and 18-foot seas.  The vessel is approximately 160 miles west of the eye of hurricane Sandy.
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Date: Oct 29, 2012
Contact: 5th District Public Affairs
Office: (757) 398-6272
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From the TallshipBounty website:

“The HMS Bounty is one of the most famous ships in the world. Known for the storied mutiny that took place in Tahiti in 1789 on board the British transport vessel, the current Bounty, a replica, has survived to tell the tale. Built for the 1962 movie “Mutiny on the Bounty” with Marlon Brando, HMS Bounty sails the country offering dockside tours in which one can learn about the history and details of sailing vessels from a lost and romanticized time in maritime history. Since her debut in “Mutiny on the Bounty”, HMS Bounty has appeared in many documentaries and featured films such as the Edinburgh Trader in Pirates of the Caribbean Dead Mans Chest with Johnny Depp. “

Ted Turner owned the ship from 1986-1993 and used it to film Treasure Island. It has been for sale since 2010 for $4-million

The ship, callsign WDD9114, last reported at Position N 34°22′ W 074°15′.

She is 500 Tons, 180′ OAL, has a 115′ mainmast, carries 18 sails for 10,000 sq ft of canvas, is constructed of 400,000 board-feet of timber in 1960-1961 at Smith & Rhuland Shipyard in Lunenberg, Nova Scotia. A pair of 375 hp John Deere diesels turn twin screw for auxiliary propulsion and she carried four 4-pounder carriage guns.

Hopefully this will all work out.

The latest USCG update say that the ship has been abandoned by the crew.