TLDR: In October 1991, the fishing vessel Andrea Gail sank during a massive storm. Six men died. No bodies or wreckage were ever found. Sebastian Junger wrote detailed death scenes anyway.
The 2000 film made $328 million. Families of the dead sued, claiming fabrication and defamation. The Florida Supreme Court ruled that movies are “expressive works” protected by the First Amendment even when they contain “substantial and material falsity.”
The families received nothing.
On November 6, 1991, the Andrea Gail’s emergency beacon washed up on Sable Island off Nova Scotia.
It was switched off.
These beacons arm automatically on contact with water. This one was found in the off position.
No bodies were ever recovered. No wreckage was found.
The Lawsuit
In 2000, the families of Captain Billy Tyne and crew member Dale Murphy sued Warner Bros and its production partners.
They argued that the film fabricated scenes and portrayed Billy Tyne as a reckless, incompetent captain who caused the deaths of his crew. They argued that Warner Bros fabricated conflicts and romantic subplots. They noted that Warner Bros neither sought permission nor provided compensation to families.
The film had grossed over $328 million.
The Florida Supreme Court ruled in favor of Warner Bros.
A motion picture, the court concluded, even if based on true events and sold for profit, is not a “commercial purpose” in the same way as an advertisement. The First Amendment protects “expressive works” even when they contain “substantial and material falsity.”
The film made $328 million. The families received nothing.
The families, many in dire financial straits after losing their primary earners, received $0 from the $328 million global box office, the estimated $100+ million in DVD sales, and the millions Junger made from book royalties.
The Last Radio Contact
October 28, 1991, 6:00 PM. Captain Billy Tyne’s final transmission: “She’s comin’ on strong.”
Weather data exists. NOAA documented the storm’s intensity, wave heights, wind speeds.
Sebastian Junger began his research while recovering from a chainsaw injury. He interviewed people in Gloucester, including Christina Cotter, Bobby Shatford’s girlfriend. He wrote detailed scenes of the crew’s final hours.
Dialogue. Emotions. Decision-making. The struggle against rogue waves.
The families watched as George Clooney and Mark Wahlberg were cast to play their fathers and brothers.
The Economics of the Final Voyage
Commercial fishing operates on the “lay system.” The crew and captain earn nothing unless they catch fish. All expenses (fuel, bait, food, ice) are deducted from the final sale before the crew sees a percentage.
By 1991, swordfish stocks in the Atlantic were declining due to overfishing. To earn the same share as previous generations, boats had to travel further east to the Grand Banks and Flemish Cap and stay out for 30 to 40 days.
The Andrea Gail had spent nearly a month on the Grand Banks with poor results. When they finally filled their hold with 40,000 pounds of swordfish, the ice machine was malfunctioning.
Without refrigeration, the fish would spoil within days.
The choice: certain financial ruin or the calculated risk of sailing through a gale.
The Boat That Should Never Have Sailed
The Andrea Gail wasn’t the indestructible craft depicted in the movie.
In 1987, under owner Robert “Suicide Brown,” the vessel was modified. The stern was lengthened by 30 inches. The portside wall was extended by three feet. The whaleback deck was lengthened by four feet.
The Coast Guard’s 1993 investigative report noted that no stability testing was conducted after these modifications. Vessels under 79 feet in length were not required to undergo stability testing.
Robert Brown received an administrative warning for failing to report the modifications.
The Weather Forecasts That Were Ignored
The “Perfect Storm” term was coined by Bob Case, a deputy meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Boston. It described an unusually perfect convergence of a cold front, high-pressure system, and moisture from Hurricane Grace.
On October 27, 1991, Billy Tyne received weather faxes calling for moderate weather expected to dissipate. That same day, the Ocean Prediction Center warned that a “dangerous storm” would form within 36 hours.
The Andrea Gail was at the Flemish Cap, hundreds of miles from the nearest port.
Post-storm assessments by NOAA found a “disturbing shortage” of marine weather observations and lack of real-time data access for forecasters. The National Hurricane Center chose not to name the storm to avoid “media circus” and confusion.
The Coast Guard Triage: Who They Saved vs. Abandoned
During the height of the storm, the Coast Guard had to triage multiple distress calls.
The Andrea Gail had no functioning radio or chose not to use it. The vessel wasn’t on the Coast Guard’s radar until it was reported overdue.
The Satori, a 32-foot sailboat, had ventured into the storm with an inexperienced crew. The rescue involved the Coast Guard Cutter Tamaroa, multiple aircraft, and a rescue swimmer. The crew was saved.
An Air National Guard helicopter, Jolly 110, ran out of fuel during search operations and was forced to ditch 90 miles south of Montauk. The Tamaroa rescued four of five crew members. Tech Sgt. Rick Smith, one of the Air Force’s most elite pararescue jumpers, was lost.
The Six Men
- Frank “Billy” Tyne, Jr., 37. Captain. Divorced from Jodi Tyne. Two daughters, Erica and Billie-Jo.
- Robert “Bobby” Shatford, 30. Deckhand. Girlfriend Christina Cotter. Mother Ethel Shatford.
- Dale “Murph” Murphy, 30. Deckhand. Divorced. One son, Dale Jr.
- David “Sully” Sullivan, 29. Deckhand. Joined last minute.
- Michael “Bugsy” Moran, 36. Deckhand.
- Alfred Pierre, 32. Deckhand. Family based in New York and the Caribbean.
None of their bodies were ever recovered.
The Industry That Changed Nothing
Commercial fishing remains one of the most hazardous occupations in the United States. The fatality rate is consistently 20 to 30 times higher than the national average.
The Commercial Fishing Industry Vessel Safety Act of 1988 mandated equipment like life rafts and immersion suits. The Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2010 expanded requirements for survival craft.
As of 2026, many vessels remain exempt from the strictest construction standards. Stability testing is still not mandated for vessels under 79 feet.
The Gloucester fishing industry has been decimated not by weather but by economics. A 1997 federal buyback program removed much of the local fleet. The industry has shifted from family-owned boats to corporate-owned fleets backed by private equity.
The Revenue
- Global box office: $328,718,434.
- DVD and VHS sales: Estimated $100+ million.
- Book sales: Millions of copies, multi-year bestseller.
- Gloucester memorial tourism: Millions in annual revenue.
- Tyne and Murphy families: $0.
What the Story Became
No bodies were ever recovered. No wreckage was ever found. The emergency beacon washed up switched off, suggesting the end came suddenly, not heroically.
Sebastian Junger wrote detailed death scenes anyway. The book became a bestseller. Warner Bros made a $328 million film. The families sued, claiming fabrication. The courts ruled that movies can contain “substantial and material falsity” and still be protected speech.
The families received nothing.
The Andrea Gail remains at the bottom of the Atlantic, but the story of six men who died has been harvested for profit for 35 years.
The Perfect Storm: Frequently Asked Questions
Did the families of the Andrea Gail crew receive any money from The Perfect Storm?
No. The film grossed $328 million at the box office, with an estimated $100+ million in DVD sales, and Sebastian Junger made millions in book royalties. The families of Captain Billy Tyne and Dale Murphy sued Warner Bros for fabrication and defamation, but the Florida Supreme Court ruled that movies are protected speech even when they contain substantial and material falsity. The families received $0.
Were any bodies from the Andrea Gail ever recovered?
No. None of the six crew members’ bodies were ever recovered. No wreckage from the Andrea Gail was ever found. The only physical evidence was the ship’s emergency beacon, which washed up on Sable Island off Nova Scotia on November 6, 1991. It was found switched off, which is unusual because these beacons arm automatically on contact with water.
How much of The Perfect Storm movie was fabricated?
Sebastian Junger wrote detailed death scenes, dialogue, emotions, and decision-making for the crew’s final hours despite no bodies or wreckage ever being found. The last radio contact was Captain Billy Tyne saying She’s comin’ on strong at 6:00 PM on October 28, 1991. Everything after that point was invented. The families sued claiming the film portrayed Billy Tyne as reckless and incompetent, fabricated conflicts, and created romantic subplots that never existed.
Why did the Andrea Gail sail into the Perfect Storm?
The Andrea Gail had spent nearly a month on the Grand Banks with poor results. When they finally filled their hold with 40,000 pounds of swordfish, the ice machine was malfunctioning. Without refrigeration, the fish would spoil within days, resulting in certain financial ruin. Commercial fishing operates on the lay system where crew earn nothing unless they catch fish, so Captain Billy Tyne faced a choice between guaranteed financial loss or the calculated risk of sailing through a gale.
Was the Andrea Gail seaworthy when it sank?
Questionable. In 1987, owner Robert Suicide Brown modified the vessel by lengthening the stern 30 inches, extending the portside wall three feet, and lengthening the whaleback deck four feet. The Coast Guard’s 1993 investigative report noted that no stability testing was conducted after these modifications. Vessels under 79 feet in length were not required to undergo stability testing. Robert Brown received only an administrative warning for failing to report the modifications.
Who were the six men who died on the Andrea Gail?
Captain Frank Billy Tyne Jr., 37, divorced with two daughters. Robert Bobby Shatford, 30, whose girlfriend Christina Cotter was interviewed extensively by Sebastian Junger. Dale Murph Murphy, 30, divorced with one son. David Sully Sullivan, 29, who joined last minute. Michael Bugsy Moran, 36. Alfred Pierre, 32, whose family was based in New York and the Caribbean. None of their bodies were ever recovered.
What was the Perfect Storm and why was it called that?
The term Perfect Storm was coined by Bob Case, a deputy meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Boston. It described an unusually perfect convergence of three weather systems: a cold front, a high-pressure system, and moisture from Hurricane Grace. The National Hurricane Center chose not to name the storm to avoid media circus and confusion. NOAA later found a disturbing shortage of marine weather observations and lack of real-time data access for forecasters.
Did the Coast Guard try to rescue the Andrea Gail?
The Andrea Gail had no functioning radio or chose not to use it, and the vessel wasn’t on the Coast Guard’s radar until it was reported overdue. During the height of the storm, the Coast Guard had to triage multiple distress calls. They successfully rescued the crew of the Satori, a 32-foot sailboat. An Air National Guard helicopter, Jolly 110, ran out of fuel during search operations and ditched 90 miles south of Montauk. Tech Sgt. Rick Smith, one of the Air Force’s most elite pararescue jumpers, was lost trying to save others.
