© Reuters/U.S. Coast GuardA crewman from the replica tall ship HMS Bounty is aided in the water by a member of the U.S. Coast Guard next to a life raft in the Atlantic Ocean approximately 144 kilometres southeast of Hatteras, North Carolina, October 29, 2012.
Washington - One crew member has died and the captain is missing in high seas and raging winds after the Canadian-built replica of HMS
Bounty was abandoned and sank Monday morning.
U.S. Coast Guard Jayhawk helicopters rescued 14 others from life rafts in a dramatic dawn rescue about 150 kilometres off Cape Hatteras, N.C.
As the crew abandoned the sinking ship, struggling to get into life rafts before dawn, three were tossed into the sea by waves sweeping over the stricken vessel. "One of those managed to get to a raft, but not the other two," U.S. Coast Guard spokesman Lieutenant-Commander Jamie Frederick told
The Globe and Mail at 13:30 pm.
The dead crew member, 42-year-old Claudene Christian, was found unresponsive in the water on Monday evening. The Coast Guard said she was taken to a hospital in Elizabeth City, where she was later pronounced dead.
Rescuers continued to search for the missing captain of HMS
Bounty, 63-year-old Robin Walbridge.
The Coast Guard says Captain Walbridge and Ms. Christian were able to put on survival suits designed to keep them afloat and protect them from chilly waters for 15 hours.
Helicopters were used in the search and two Coast Guard cutters have also gone out to sea to help search.
"We're throwing all the assets we have out there so that we can keep searching for these folks," Cdmr Frederick said.
Earlier he confirmed that "14 are safe on shore."