Former Miss Teen Alaska Perishes on HMS Bounty in Hurricane Sandy (+video)

By Thom Patterson. Claudene Christian dreamed of living a seafaring life like the historic HMS Bounty naval officer who shared her name centuries ago.

She’d secured a spot as a crew member on a replica of the Bounty and had announced it proudly on her Facebook page. But less than six months after joining the ship, her dream was cut short.

As Hurricane Sandy approached the East Coast, its powerful winds swirled up waves that crippled the three-masted, 180-foot Bounty off North Carolina’s coast, forcing the 16-member crew to abandon ship.

That’s when the waves swept Christian overboard, along with the Bounty’s captain and another crew member early Monday, Coast Guard Vice Adm. Robert Parker told CNN. That crew member made it to a lifeboat; Christian’s body was found on Monday evening. Capt. Robin Waldridge remains missing.

Christian, 42, often said she was related to Fletcher Christian, the 18th-century sailor blamed for leading the infamous mutiny on the real HMS Bounty. Read more from this story HERE.

More on Former Alaskan Who Died Alongside the HMS Bounty Captain

By Matt Blake and Anthony Bond. Ms Christian’s mother, who is also called Claudene, said the ship began taking on water after a generator went out on the ship on Sunday night.

It was around 160 miles from the eye of the storm as it made its way from Connecticut to Florida.

Her mother said she was contacted by her daughter on Thursday when she said she wouldn’t be able to contact them from the sea, according to 5newsonline.

Ms Christian was a former Miss Teen Alaska and attended the University of Southern Carolina.

Her aunt, Patricia Saulsberry, said that she had been interested in ships since she toured replicas of Nina and Pinta. Read more from this story HERE.

Here’s a video of the rescue efforts: