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HMS Bounty abandoned amid Hurricane Sandy HMS Bounty abandoned amid Hurricane Sandy
(about 1 hour later)
Seventeen people aboard HMS Bounty have abandoned ship off the coast of North Carolina amid Hurricane Sandy. The US coastguard has rescued 14 of at least 16 people forced to abandon the HMS Bounty off the coast of North Carolina amid Hurricane Sandy.
The captain gave the order for the crew to enter the lifeboats at 4:30 EST (9:30 GMT) and a rescue attempt by a US coastguard helicopter is under way. The captain gave the order for the crew to enter the lifeboats at 05:30 local time (09:30 GMT).
The HMS Bounty Organisation said it would assess whether the ship could be saved but its concern was for the crew. The US coastguard said it was still seeking two more crew members.
HMS Bounty is a replica of the original Bounty, famous for its ill-fated trip to Tahiti and the West Indies in 1789. HMS Bounty is a replica of the original Bounty, famous for its ill-fated trip to Tahiti and the West Indies in 1789, and has appeared in several films.
Tracie Simonin, director of the HMS Bounty Organisation, said that the ship began to experience difficulties at about 18:30 EST (23:30 GMT) on Sunday when it lost power and was unable to continue "de-watering". It was initially reported that 17 people were on board, but the coastguard later said that 16 were in life rafts, awaiting rescue.
Tracie Simonin, director of the HMS Bounty Organisation, said that the ship began to experience difficulties at about 19:30 on Sunday when it lost power and was unable to continue "de-watering".
"At that time we contacted the US coastguard for assistance," she said."At that time we contacted the US coastguard for assistance," she said.
"A C-130 plane was sent to their position, which was 90 miles south-east of Cape Hatteras, and then at 04:30 EST this morning the captain ordered all hands to abandon ship. "A C-130 plane was sent to their position, which was 90 miles south-east of Cape Hatteras, and then... this morning the captain ordered all hands to abandon ship."
"All 17 crew were accounted for in the liferafts and a US coastguard helicopter is on the scene rescuing them now." Canadian broadcaster CBC has reported that the ship sank several hours after the evacuation, but Ms Simonin told the BBC that she had not been told this by the coastguard.
She added: "As far as we know the ship is still upright and we're going to assess the situation to see if anything can be done to save the ship but at this point our main concern is with the crew." "The last we heard the ship was still upright," she said.
Ms Simonin said everyone on board was American. The HMS Bounty has featured in a number of Hollywood films since it was launched in 1960, including Mutiny on the Bounty in 1962 and Pirates of the Caribbean.