By Andrew Chung WASHINGTON, June 3 (Reuters) - The nine black-robed justices of the U.S. Supreme Court will soon navigate the treacherous legal waters around a sailing ship made famous in the 18th century by the notorious English pirate known as Blackbeard. The court on Monday agreed to hear a bid by a documentary filmmaker to revive his lawsuit against state officials in … [Read more...]
Canadian Premiere – Trapped in Typhoon Alley, the Mystery of MV Derbyshire
Discovery Channel (Canada)'s new documentary series, "Disasters at Sea," premieres on April 16th at 10 PM ET. The first episode, "Trapped in Typhoon Alley," looks at the mysterious sinking of the Capesize Ore/Bulk/Oiler MV Derbyshire, with the loss of 42 aboard, in Typhoon Orchid in 1980. To this day, the Derbyshire remains the largest British flagged ship ever to … [Read more...]
Review: Disasters at Sea — Deadly Neglect, the Loss of the Marine Electric
Thirty-six years ago this week, the SS Marine Electric sank off the coast of Virginia with the loss of 34 officers and crew. There were only three survivors. The tragedy resulted in major reforms in ship inspections and operations and ultimately saved many lives. Last month, a new documentary series premiered on the Smithsonian Channel, Disasters at Sea. The second episode … [Read more...]
SS Marine Electric: The Shipwreck that Changed the Coast Guard
By Petty Officer 2nd Class Corinne Zilnicki - When the clock tolled 12 a.m. on Feb. 12, 1983, the 605-foot cargo ship Marine Electric trekked northward 30 miles off Virginia's Eastern Shore, plowing slowly through the gale-force winds and waves stirred up by a winter storm. An able-bodied seaman relieved the watch and peered forward, noticing for the first time that the … [Read more...]
Remains of Famed Explorer Captain Matthew Flinders Found in London Rail Dig
LONDON, Jan 25 (Reuters) - Archaeologists have found the remains of Captain Matthew Flinders, a British Royal Navy explorer who was the first to sail around Australia and is credited with naming it, while working on a rail project connecting London to other cities. Flinders' coffin was discovered among 40,000 other human remains in St James's burial ground during digging … [Read more...]