Large areas of the Atlantic coast of the United States were relatively unpopulated during the 18th and 19th centuries. Any ship that ran aground, even within sight of land, could not expect much help. Even if people saw a ship in trouble they did not have organizations or the equipment to go out and rescue those who were in trouble. Even in places like New York Harbor ships could run aground on sandbars during storms and not have anyone to help them. In a storm a ship caught on a sandbar could be broken into pieces in just hours. Some survivors might be able to swim to shore, but in winter they could die from hypothermia before anyone might find and help them. An example was the American sailing ship "Mexico". In 1837 it ran aground on the New Jersey coast and before anyone knew of the wreck, all 112 passengers had died.