When the tall ship Bounty went down 2012, there was little to blame but negligence. An old ship, rough seas and a captain dangerously out of touch created the perfect storm.
During Superstorm Sandy, a tall ship sank off the coast of North Carolina. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) released an investigative report in February of this year that provided details of the last days of the wooden ship, which was built as a movie prop and sailed into the path of a hurricane.
Consider the following points from the report:
- On October 25, 2012, a three-mast, square-rigged wooden tall ship set sail from New London, Connecticut bound for St. Petersburg, Florida. The ship, built to film the 1962 movie Mutiny on the Bounty starring Marlon Brando, had recently undergone repairs.
- Rot in the hull of the 50 year-ship was noted during the repairs. Under the direction of the captain, untrained crew members sealed parts of the hull using kitchen-grade silicone.
- Prior to departure, crew members unsuccessfully attempted to dissuade the captain from setting sail.
- At one point, the captain changed course, moving the ship under the influence of the storm.
- By October 29, 2012, pump and electrical systems had failed. Rigging was torn, crew members had sustained serious falls as the ship buffeted. The captain twice refused requests to call the Coast Guard for help.
- In the early morning hours of October 29, the ship heeled into the waves. In a daring rescue, the Coast Guard rescued all but two crew members. The body of a female crew member was later located and the body of the captain was never found.
This tragic tale of negligence was a result, as stated by the NTSB, of the “reckless decision” of the captain to sail the aging vessel into a well-forecast storm. The value of the ship was approximately $4 million while the value of lost lives was priceless.
If injured in Dallas due to the recklessness, negligence or mistakes of another party, consult a Personal Injury Attorney Dallas to learn about your legal options.
