The sinking of the SS Penn

By Aussiegirl



The Telegraph has the story of "The sad, soggy voyage of the Good Ship Penn" -- some pictures are worth a thousand words. Later stories carried the additional news that Penn was primarily concerned with rescuing some friends he hadn't heard from. He might have gotten a bit of credit for effort if he hadn't brought a photographer and his entourage along to records his heroics. He was also seen wearing a bullet proof vest rather than an orange life jacket. Since falling in the water and being dragged to muddy death by a lead-filled jacket was a much likelier probability than being shot, little could be said for his common sense or disaster preparedness.

An attempt by Sean Penn, the outspoken Hollywood actor, to stage a personal mission to help victims of Hurricane Katrina descended into farce when his rescue boat sprang a leak.

The activist star headed to New Orleans with a photographer and entourage to rescue stranded victims clinging to roofs and attics in the wake of the deadly storm.
But he and his crew apparently forgot to plug a hole in the bottom of his small vessel which began to take in water almost immediately after launching.
Reports yesterday said the 45-year-old Oscar winner was seen frantically bailing water from the boat with a red plastic cup.

When the boat's motor failed to start, those aboard were forced to use paddles to propel themselves down the flooded street. It is not known how far the boat then travelled.
Earlier Penn, who has visited Iraq to campaign against the war, said that once in the city he would do 'whatever I can do to help'. But according to reports, one bystander, referring to the actor's large entourage on board, taunted Penn, saying: 'How are you going to get any people in that?' "