Sailing crew rescued
Published: January 4, 2006
Five sailors rescued from a stricken yacht that capsized in wild seas off NSW’s far south coast say they are relieved and happy to be back on dry land.
The four Swedes and one Finnish yachtsman, all suffering minor injuries, arrived in the south coast port of Eden about 12.30pm aboard the NSW water police launch Fearless.
They were plucked from their stricken yacht about 7am today.
The 11.6-metre yacht Savcor turned over about 90 nautical miles south-east of Eden in six-metre seas last night while returning to the mainland after the Sydney-to-Hobart yacht race.
The five crew - skipper Peter Westerlund, Juha Vorvenniemi, Mikael Strand, Goran Antila and Mikaela Ahlback - are all suffering from exhaustion, sea sickness, and hypothermia.
They said they were very relieved to be back on solid ground.
“It’s very very good to be here,” said Ms Ahlback, 22 said.
The experienced sailor said she didn’t have time to be scared during her 13-hour ordeal, but would not sail again in Australia.
“(I was) not scared a bit, I hadn’t time to be scared,” she said.
“I’m never coming sailing in Australia again.”
Floating shield
Police Sergeant James Hinkley praised the crew for staying with their crippled yacht, a decision he said may have saved their lives.
A bulk cement carrier, Goliath, was used as a floating shield to protect the stricken yacht, which had just completed the Sydney to Hobart race.
Australian Maritime Safety Authority spokesman Greg Smith said the rescue took place about 60 nautical miles south-east of Gabo Island, near the border of Victoria and NSW.
Andrew Lygo, the chief executive of Getaway Sailing Adventures, the managers of the $450,000 yacht, said all crew had completed disaster training, including how to deal with hypothermia, before embarking on the voyage.
He said it was still unclear exactly what had happened, but fatigue had probably been a factor in the drama.
“I think (it was) a cumulation of extreme tiredness and fatigue … remembering that these people have just come back from the Sydney to Hobart, had a two-day rest in Hobart, and then got straight back into the action to return the boat to Sydney.”
The 11.6-metre yacht capsized about 7pm yesterday about 60 nautical miles south-east of Mallacoota, at the far-eastern tip of Victoria, as it battled six-metre-high seas and 40-knot to 50-knot winds.
The yacht’s crew sent out an SOS call after the vessel flipped and then righted itself, but Mr Smith said the crew coped well.
Mr Smith said the yacht’s motor was operational but did not appear to be at normal capacity.
Mr Lygo said a salvage operation was underway to locate and tow the yacht, now afloat 90 miles south-east of Eden, back to Sydney.
“The vessel itself is in sound condition and I think the winds are abating each hour,” he said.
“I’m certainly very keen to get the boat back and in safe hands.”
Savcor finished fifth in its division in the Sydney-Hobart racing, crossing the finishing line in 46th place on December 30.
It was the team’s first Sydney to Hobart race, with Savcor believed to be the first fully Swedish-crewed yacht in the race’s history.
The event website described team boss Peter Westerlund as an experienced yachtsman.
“We are used to cold and wet races, so we should be comfortable in Bass Strait,” Mr Westerlund was quoted as saying before the race.
It is not known whether he was on board Savcor for the return voyage.
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