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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Wreckage found in search for missing sailor Mary Unwin | Wreckage found in search for missing sailor Mary Unwin |
| (30 days later) | |
| Coastguards and police who were searching for a yachtswoman who tried to sail her boat solo around Land's End in the dark have found wreckage off the Cornish coast. | Coastguards and police who were searching for a yachtswoman who tried to sail her boat solo around Land's End in the dark have found wreckage off the Cornish coast. |
| Mary Unwin, 65, ignored advice not to attempt the voyage in rough seas and set off from the Cornish village of Mousehole trying to reach Bideford in north Devon. | Mary Unwin, 65, ignored advice not to attempt the voyage in rough seas and set off from the Cornish village of Mousehole trying to reach Bideford in north Devon. |
| On Monday afternoon, almost 48 hours after she set sail, wreckage was found at Sennen Cove, close to Land's End. Coastguards compared the debris with photographs of Unwin's nine-metre (31ft) yacht, Seagair, and concluded it was very likely they had found the remains of her vessel. | On Monday afternoon, almost 48 hours after she set sail, wreckage was found at Sennen Cove, close to Land's End. Coastguards compared the debris with photographs of Unwin's nine-metre (31ft) yacht, Seagair, and concluded it was very likely they had found the remains of her vessel. |
| There are many hidden rocks and reefs off that stretch of coast and it seems likely the yacht struck one in the dark and was broken up in heavy seas. An air and sea rescue operation was called off as it was judged there was no chance of Unwin still being alive. | There are many hidden rocks and reefs off that stretch of coast and it seems likely the yacht struck one in the dark and was broken up in heavy seas. An air and sea rescue operation was called off as it was judged there was no chance of Unwin still being alive. |
| As she set sail from Mousehole on Saturday evening a fisherman advised her not to attempt the voyage in the dark but she assured him she would be fine. When she failed to contact relatives on Sunday they called the emergency services and an extensive search involving military helicopters, RNLI lifeboats and a coastguard fixed-wing aircraft was launched. | As she set sail from Mousehole on Saturday evening a fisherman advised her not to attempt the voyage in the dark but she assured him she would be fine. When she failed to contact relatives on Sunday they called the emergency services and an extensive search involving military helicopters, RNLI lifeboats and a coastguard fixed-wing aircraft was launched. |
| Unwin had bought the £30,000 boat only last week from Falmouth Yacht Brokers. Jerry Hobkirk, the owner of the brokers, said Unwin had been advised to take part in a sailing refresher course before she set sail alone. | Unwin had bought the £30,000 boat only last week from Falmouth Yacht Brokers. Jerry Hobkirk, the owner of the brokers, said Unwin had been advised to take part in a sailing refresher course before she set sail alone. |
| He said: "The weather was treacherous, even for some of the more experienced sailors. I simply cannot understand what she was thinking when she left the harbour. I was amazed when I found out that she had set sail. If I had known, we would have stopped her. There were strong winds and rough seas on a piece of coast that has very few escape routes. If you get into difficulties there aren't very many ports to play your 'get out of jail' card with." | He said: "The weather was treacherous, even for some of the more experienced sailors. I simply cannot understand what she was thinking when she left the harbour. I was amazed when I found out that she had set sail. If I had known, we would have stopped her. There were strong winds and rough seas on a piece of coast that has very few escape routes. If you get into difficulties there aren't very many ports to play your 'get out of jail' card with." |
| Unwin got married less than two weeks ago, in the village of Clovelly, in north Devon, to a man she had previously married and divorced. Before the wreckage was found, the Rev Shirley Henderson, who presided over the ceremony, said she had spoken to Unwin's husband, Carol, who believed his wife was holed up in a harbour somewhere, not realising she was being looked for. "We're all praying she'll be found soon," Henderson said. | Unwin got married less than two weeks ago, in the village of Clovelly, in north Devon, to a man she had previously married and divorced. Before the wreckage was found, the Rev Shirley Henderson, who presided over the ceremony, said she had spoken to Unwin's husband, Carol, who believed his wife was holed up in a harbour somewhere, not realising she was being looked for. "We're all praying she'll be found soon," Henderson said. |
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