HMS Bounty engineer testifies

PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) - An engineer was thoroughly questioned for his role in the October 2012 sinking of the HMS Bounty as the second week of the U.S. Coast Guard's hearings into the incident began.

During the morning session, investigators questioned the ship's second mate, Matthew Sanders, who said he was in the ship's engine room, fighting to restore power to the vessel.

He said he was one of the last people to work in the Bounty's engine room as water overtook the vessel.

"[The water] was probably somewhere between waist and chest deep," Sanders said.

Capt. Rob Jones pressed Sanders as to why the Bounty's engineer, Christpher Barksdale, was not around for those repairs.

"I don't know [what he was doing]," Sanders said. "Chris wasn't down there with me when I was down there."

Barksdale testified Monday he does not hold a Merchant Mariners credential nor any other professional credentials nor engineering degrees.  He said he took several trips in and out of the engine room working on the boat's generators and propulsion system.

"It was my understanding at that point in time that we were going to try to hang on until morning," Barksdale said.

Barksdale told investigators he was fighting off the effects of sea-sickness and working in an extremely hot and flooded engine room.

"So I'd go up and try to cool down a little bit, try and drink some water, try and catch my breath and go back down and do what I could and I think we were all kind of rotating in and out," Barksdale said.

He said despite their efforts, the water kept coming in and getting deeper.  

Eventually, Barksdale and the crew ended up in the ocean after Bounty was struck by a large wave and rolled on her side.

Barksdale had the confidence of both the Bounty's first mate, who hired him, as well as the captain of Bounty.