Ship that called into Falmouth sinks in US superstorm drama: VIDEO (From Falmouth Packet)

Ship that called into Falmouth sinks in US superstorm drama: VIDEO

2:00pm Tuesday 30th October 2012 in News

A ship that called into Falmouth last June has been at the centre of a high seas rescue drama after sinking off the US east coast.

VIDEO:

The replica tallship HMS Bounty had also starred as the “Black Pearl” in Hollywood hit blockbuster Pirates Of The Caribbean.

Its 16 crewmembers were forced to abandon ship after she started to take on water as Hurricane Sandy raged towards the coast.

One crew member is reported to have died, while the other sailors were rescued from liferafts off the North Carolina coast.

The vessel was on its way from Connecticut on the north-east coast of the US to Florida

The rescue was filmed by US Coastguards.

Lieutenant Kevin Sullivan, from the North Carolina coastguard said: "Our understanding is that as [the crew] were preparing to get into the life rafts the boat suddenly capsized on them.

"They had to swim clear of the boat and try to get in the life rafts from there."

The HMS Bounty is a replica of the famous ship known for the mutiny of its crew in the 18th century.

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