Two Historic Ships Sank in Quick Succession in New York

In the Red Hook neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York, two historic ships owned by a local entertainment and hospitality company called Crew sank into the waters within a few days of each other. The first of the ships, moored at the company's maintenance facility in Henry Street Basin, was a century-old historic schooner converted into a floating bar named 'Pilot'. Following the sinking of Pilot, the 126-year-old National Historic Landmark vessel named 'Victory Chimes', located in the same area, was also seen submerged underwater. Officials stated that both ships had been undergoing maintenance and repair for some time, but the exact cause of their rapid consecutive sinking remains unclear. While company officials deepened the investigation into the matter, they noted that they had hired professional teams to safely salvage the underwater wreckage.

When the ship named Pilot initially sank, only its masts remained visible above the water, while the bar stools and other items on its deck scattered around. Speaking on July 2, Alex Pincus, co-owner of the company Crew, stated that there was no clear reason known for what sank the ship. Pincus emphasized that they were immediately working with relevant authorities and professionals to understand what happened and were looking for the safest way to raise Pilot to the surface. The company expressed deep sorrow over the situation but stated that they maintained hope that the ship could be rescued. Although company spokespersons claimed at the time that the condition of the Victory Chimes was fine, on July 5, local residents were surprised to discover the ship was underwater.

Brothers Alex and Miles Pincus, who have a background in ship ownership and restoration processes, purchased the Pilot ship in 2015. Extensively renovated in 2017, Pilot began hosting guests as a seasonal floating bar at Brooklyn Bridge Park and became one of the area's beloved venues over the years. Last fall, the vessel was moved to the maintenance facility in Red Hook for a comprehensive restoration project. During the same period, the company announced that they had begun a major renovation process for the ship named Victory Chimes, which they purchased in 2023, as part of an exciting new project. However, these extensive projects suffered a major setback with the consecutive sinking of the two ships.

Local resident Brad Vogel, who regularly takes canoe trips in the area, observed that the ships were in quite poor visual condition even before they sank. Vogel stated that the wooden planks on Pilot's hull looked rough and rotted, giving the ship an overall neglected appearance. However, Vogel added that the company Crew was an experienced organization that had successfully restored many ships over the years and was no stranger to such maintenance processes. Observers noted that old wooden ships naturally take on water, and bilge pumps must run constantly to keep them afloat. Vogel noted that he frequently saw such pumps operating on the Victory Chimes, adding that this is a common situation for old wooden vessels.

When examining external factors that could have led to the shipwrecks, it is notable that the region experienced an extraordinary heatwave around the time Pilot sank. According to expert opinions, these extreme temperatures may have caused the bilge pumps, which evacuate water from the bottom of the ship, to malfunction; if the pumps fail, the ship will sink under the weight of the incoming water. Additionally, the collapse of one of the aged sections of the ship's wooden hull is cited as another potential cause of the sudden sinking. On the other hand, it is known that the city was hit by severe thunderstorms shortly before the Victory Chimes wreck, specifically on July 3. While these storms also damaged other historic ships participating in the 'Sail4th 250' event anchored in the city, it is being evaluated that they could have been a determining factor in the submersion of the Victory Chimes.