HMS Atalanta disappeared in a storm while sailing from the West Indies toward England with Fisher's brother aboard. Northampton diverted from its normal work to search, with Admiral Leopold McClintock supporting Fisher's wish to find the missing training ship. Wreckage offered possible clues but never established exactly what had happened. The loss exposed the hazards of seagoing naval training and the personal cost of a service that dispersed Fisher's family across distant ships and stations. McClintock later observed that the prospect of commanding the new Inflexible restored Fisher's spirits, a demanding professional challenge after a personal loss.
Notable Point · 32:36-34:53
Northampton searches for the missing training ship Atalanta
The disappearance of HMS Atalanta brought a North Atlantic search, the loss of a training-ship crew, and a personal bereavement for Fisher.