14 rescued, 2 missing from storm-caught tall ship Bounty

Agence France-Presse

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The HMS Bounty crew abandoned the ship due to Hurricane 'Sandy'

A file photo taken on July 30, 2003 shows the "HMS Bounty" sailing past the Chicago skyline as the city of Chicago hosts the largest "Tall Ship" festival ever in the Great Lakes. AFP PHOTO / JEFF HAYNES

WASHINGTON, USA – US Coast Guard helicopters on Monday, October 29 rescued 14 members of the crew of the HMS Bounty, a tall ship replica abandoned in the midst of Hurricane Sandy, but two people were still missing, the Coast Guard said.

A Coast Guard HC-130 aircraft remained on the scene off the coast of North Carolina searching for the two missing crew members, it said.

“The 14 people are being flown to Air Station Elizabeth City where they will be met by awaiting emergency medical services personnel,” the Coast Guard said.

The Bounty’s 16 crew members had abandoned ship, donning cold water survival suits and life jackets and launching two lifeboats as the tall ship foundered in heavy seas 160 miles (250 kilometers) from the eye of Hurricane Sandy.

The HC-130 aircraft was dispatched in response to a distress call and established communications with the Bounty’s crew, the Coast Guard said.

Then two Coast Guard MH-60 Jayhawk helicopters reached the site from Elizabeth City, North Carolina.

The first “hoisted five people into the aircraft, and a second helicopter arrived and rescued nine people,” the Coast Guard said.

“The C-130 Hercules aircraft remains on scene and is searching for the two missing crew members and a third Jayhawk crew is en route to assist search and rescue efforts,” the Coast Guard said. – Agence France-Presse

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