Yacht calls for assistance from Falmouth Coastguard mid Atlantic in very heavy weather

London, 1 May/GNN/ --

MARITIME AND COASTGUARD AGENCY News Release (Duty Notice 1) issued by COI
News Distribution Service on 1 May 2009
In the very early hours of this morning, Falmouth Coastguard received an
emergency call from the yacht 'Fleur' which, in very poor conditions, had
suffered a partial knockdown with three men on board heading for Nuuk in
Greenland from Falmouth.

They had left Cornwall on the 21st of April and they are around 800 miles
from Greenland at present.

Their estimated date of arrival was the 5th May and the vessel is described
as a 40 foot Island Packet 380 cutter with a UK registered Emergency Position
Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB).

The call indicated that they had lost all their instrumentation but still
had a hand held global positioning device and paper charts.

The crew skipper had taken a knock to his head, and they reported that they had
a liferaft and two satellite phones on board. They also had flares on board.

They described the weather as very rough with Force 11 winds, with average
speeds of above 60 knots, and waves of between 20 and 30 feet.

Initially it was agreed that contact every three hours between the vessel
and Falmouth would be maintained.

During the next early morning call, the skipper indicated he was very tired
having had only two hours sleep and that the vessel had lost its spray hood. A
weather forecast of the area was then supplied. They then suffered a further
knock down.

The crew indicated at that time that their intentions were to sit out the
bad weather and then head back east towards Ireland.

By mid morning today the crew reported that the vessel had had superficial
damage and had suffered a small amount of water ingress, but that their mast
was still intact.

By midday however on the next call after suffering further knockdowns the
skipper indicated that he had had enough and wished to abandon the vessel
with his crew.

Falmouth then began to search for other vessels that would have been able
to come to their assistance and also various rescue helicopter ranges as the
vessel was at that point still over 300 nautical miles west of the Irish coast.

The Irish Coastguard which had been contacted earlier alerting them to the
plight of the crew offered a fixed wing aircraft to go to the position of
the 'Fleur' whilst other vessels including a tanker `Yellowstone' contacted
Falmouth offering assistance, although none were in close proximity to the
distressed yacht at that time.

The offer from the tanker was accepted and co-ordinates were given to the
Master where to rendezvous with the yacht.

By 5.30 pm this evening the tanker 'Yellowstone' was 19 nautical miles away
from the yacht and had managed to make contact with them via VHF radio and
the Irish fixed wing aircraft who had been monitoring the situation overhead
and in contact via the air rescue co-ordination centre at Kinloss was released
with grateful thanks.

The tanker `Yellowstone' is due on scene with the yacht `Fleur' around 9.00
pm this evening.

The crews shore side contacts have been made aware of the developing situation.

Andy Cattrell, Falmouth Coastguard Watch Manager said

"We are respecting the wishes of the skipper and his crew to come off their
damaged yacht. These are likely to be a very difficult manoeuvresand we
will offer every practical help we can, but from this distance it will be
the seamanship of both the Master and yacht crew that will be crucial in
this lifesaving action in very heavy seas."