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Four injured during Clipper round-the-world yacht race Four injured during Clipper round-the-world yacht race
(40 minutes later)
Four injured crew members are still at sea after a wave crashed onto their vessel in the Pacific Ocean during the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race.Four injured crew members are still at sea after a wave crashed onto their vessel in the Pacific Ocean during the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race.
The four, including two Britons and a Serbian-Croat living in London, suffered a range of injuries during a storm, 400 miles off California. The four, including three Britons, suffered a range of injuries during a storm, 400 miles off California.
The British crew are named as Jane Hitchens, 50, a doctor from Kent, and Mark Burkes, 37, from Worcestershire. The British crew are named as Jane Hitchens, 50, a doctor from Kent, Mark Burkes, 47, from Worcestershire and Nik Brbora, 29, from London.
Paramedics hoping to parachute in were unable to board due to the weather.Paramedics hoping to parachute in were unable to board due to the weather.
Ms Hitchens has four suspected broken ribs and Mr Burkes has suffered a back injury. Ms Hitchens has four suspected broken ribs, Mr Burkes has suffered a back injury while Mr Brbora, a software engineer, has a possible pelvic sprain.
The other injured crew were named as Nik Brbora, 28, a Serbian-Croat living in London, and Max Wilson, 62, from Queensland, Australia. The other injured man was named as Max Wilson, 62, from Queensland, Australia. He has two suspected cracked or broken ribs.
Mr Brbora, a software engineer, has a possible pelvic sprain, while Mr Wilson has two suspected cracked or broken ribs.
US coastguard Levi Read said: "The weather conditions were not conducive to allow the jumpers from the aircraft. Because of fuel concerns, the aircraft had to return to land with the jumpers."US coastguard Levi Read said: "The weather conditions were not conducive to allow the jumpers from the aircraft. Because of fuel concerns, the aircraft had to return to land with the jumpers."
Medical supplies have been successfully dropped to the vessel.Medical supplies have been successfully dropped to the vessel.
The US coastguard is sending a rescue boat fitted with a flight deck to the accident and is expected to arrive at around 1600 BST. The US coastguard is sending a rescue boat fitted with a flight deck to the accident and is expected to arrive at about 1600 BST.
A long-range response helicopter has been launched from San Diego, California and will land on the US vessel, before approaching the clipper. A long-range response helicopter has been launched from San Diego, California, and will land on the US vessel, before approaching the clipper.
Mr Read said he expected the coastguard helicopter would move above the vessel and lower in paramedics.Mr Read said he expected the coastguard helicopter would move above the vessel and lower in paramedics.
"They will decide whether they need to evacuate those injured people aboard the helicopter and take them to the closest medical resources," he added."They will decide whether they need to evacuate those injured people aboard the helicopter and take them to the closest medical resources," he added.
The crew were taking part in the biennial Clipper Round The World Yacht Race in one of 10 UK registered 68-foot yachts, the Geraldton Western Australia.The crew were taking part in the biennial Clipper Round The World Yacht Race in one of 10 UK registered 68-foot yachts, the Geraldton Western Australia.
The family of Mark Burkes said that although hurt, he will be staying on aboard. Mark Burkes' father, Peter, said race officials had told them his son had hurt his back, though not badly enough to be taken off the ship.
His father Peter, from Shrawley, said race officials had told them he had hurt his back, though not badly enough to be taken off the ship.
The wave hit the boat in storm conditions on Saturday, sweeping away its steering wheel, mount and some of its communications equipment.The wave hit the boat in storm conditions on Saturday, sweeping away its steering wheel, mount and some of its communications equipment.
Race director Jonathan Bailey said: "We are naturally concerned at the recent incident on Geraldton Western Australia and are in close contact with the skipper, UK Maritime and Coastguard at Falmouth and the US coast guard. Race director Jonathan Bailey said: "There's a nasty little low pressure system that came up behind the yacht and it obviously produces some very large waves.
"The safety of all Clipper Race crew is extremely important to us. Our skippers are highly experienced and several crew members on board have medical training." "One of these waves broke over the back of the boat, and the crew that were on deck at the time were obviously hit by the full force of this wave landing on the boat."
"A deep depression hit the fleet earlier today with winds gusting over 60 knots. First reports described the yacht being caught by a large wave."
The rest of the crew are said to be shaken but without injury. Their families have been informed.The rest of the crew are said to be shaken but without injury. Their families have been informed.
The 40,000-mile (64,500km) race, which features predominantly amateur crews, started in Southampton in July.The 40,000-mile (64,500km) race, which features predominantly amateur crews, started in Southampton in July.