Kurt Carlsen

KURT CARLSEN d1989. Danish-born sea-captain who became world-famous in January 1952 when he stayed on his sinking freighter (the Flying Enterprise) for 13 days. It eventually sank less than 37 miles from safe harbour at Falmouth Cornwall, minutes after the Captain was forced to abandon ship. It is now believed that the Flying Enterprise was hit not once but twice by a rogue wave, thereby eventually sinking the freighter. The endeavour was reported around the world and he received a ticker-tape parade in New York City on January 17th 1952. A few months later, he took command of the Flying Enterprise II passing up lucrative offers from Hollywood. His ordeal aboard the Flying Enterprise became the subject of the book "Simple Courage a True Story of Peril on the Sea" by Frank Delaney