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Debris may have been found in search for missing yacht Debris may have been found in search for missing yacht
(35 minutes later)
Relatives of the four sailors missing in the Atlantic have appealed for help from the public to scan satellite images of the search area, after pieces of possible debris from the boat were spotted.Relatives of the four sailors missing in the Atlantic have appealed for help from the public to scan satellite images of the search area, after pieces of possible debris from the boat were spotted.
The relatives made the plea as they arrived at the Foreign Office for a briefing on the search. Earlier, two pieces of possible debris were found in the area of the Atlantic Ocean where the British yacht Cheeki Rafiki went missing last week. The relatives made the plea as they arrived at the Foreign Office for a briefing on the search. Earlier, two pieces of possible debris were found in the area of the Atlantic where the British yacht Cheeki Rafiki went missing last week.
The yacht's crew of four – Andrew Bridge, 22, from Farnham in Surrey, James Male, 23, from Southampton, Steve Warren, 52, from Bridgwater, Somerset, and Paul Goslin, 56, from West Camel, Somerset – have not been seen or heard from since the early hours of Friday morning.The yacht's crew of four – Andrew Bridge, 22, from Farnham in Surrey, James Male, 23, from Southampton, Steve Warren, 52, from Bridgwater, Somerset, and Paul Goslin, 56, from West Camel, Somerset – have not been seen or heard from since the early hours of Friday morning.
Goslin's daughter Clare said the families had spoken to satellite companies about making images available to scan the ocean for signs of the missing sailors. "It seems positive that people will be able to help us," she said.Goslin's daughter Clare said the families had spoken to satellite companies about making images available to scan the ocean for signs of the missing sailors. "It seems positive that people will be able to help us," she said.
Another member of the group attending the meeting said: "We are hoping to have the imagery as soon as possible so the public can have a look at it. Obviously a lot of people want to help so this is our way of letting them help the search effort."Another member of the group attending the meeting said: "We are hoping to have the imagery as soon as possible so the public can have a look at it. Obviously a lot of people want to help so this is our way of letting them help the search effort."
The relatives have sent a letter to Barack Obama, via the Foreign Office, thanking him for the US coastguard's resumption of the search. The relatives have sent a letter to Barack Obama, via the Foreign Office, thanking him for the US Coast Guard's resumption of the search.
Earlier, the captain of a charter vessel taking part in the search told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that details of two objects spotted in the northern search area had been passed on to the US coastguard. Earlier, the captain of a charter vessel taking part in the search told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that details of two objects spotted in the northern search area had been passed on to the US Coast Guard.
Patrick Michel, skipper of the Malisi, said: "We saw, very briefly, a wooden plank of about one metre long, 20-30cm wide, with a few holes drilled in it. That could be part of the floorboard of the saloon or cabin, or possibly the centrepiece of the saloon table.Patrick Michel, skipper of the Malisi, said: "We saw, very briefly, a wooden plank of about one metre long, 20-30cm wide, with a few holes drilled in it. That could be part of the floorboard of the saloon or cabin, or possibly the centrepiece of the saloon table.
"Another [object] that we saw was a white foam or plastic floating piece 40cm by 20cm roughly. This could be anything, but the grouping of these [pieces of] debris in the northern part of the search area could indicate that they are recent.""Another [object] that we saw was a white foam or plastic floating piece 40cm by 20cm roughly. This could be anything, but the grouping of these [pieces of] debris in the northern part of the search area could indicate that they are recent."
Asked how confident he was that the debris was from the Cheeki Rafiki, Michel replied: "I'm not. I'm just reporting to the US coastguard the position. Only the owner or somebody familiar with the boat could confirm if that debris is part of the boat or not." Asked how confident he was that the debris was from the Cheeki Rafiki, Michel replied: "I'm not. I'm just reporting to the US Coast Guard the position. Only the owner or somebody familiar with the boat could confirm if that debris is part of the boat or not."
He said the objects, which were seen within an hour of each other, were "not covered in vegetation or barnacles, so it does indicate it was recent".He said the objects, which were seen within an hour of each other, were "not covered in vegetation or barnacles, so it does indicate it was recent".
Michel said he passed on a description of the debris and the time and location it was spotted to the US coastguard. The coastguard acknowledged the report by email, he said. Michel said he passed on a description of the debris and the time and location it was spotted to the US Coast Guard. The Coast Guard acknowledged the report by email, he said.
Michel added that he and two other volunteers on board the Malisi had been scanning the search area for three days, with one crew member looking left and another right while a third steered the boat.Michel added that he and two other volunteers on board the Malisi had been scanning the search area for three days, with one crew member looking left and another right while a third steered the boat.
The US coastguard called off the search for the men on Sunday, but resumed it after a petition backed by politicians, celebrities and leading sailors attracted 200,000 signatures. The US Coast Guard called off the search for the men on Sunday, but resumed it after a petition backed by politicians, celebrities and leading sailors attracted 200,000 signatures.
Kay Coombes, Warren's sister, welcomed the reports that debris had been spotted. She told the BBC's Breakfast programme: "I think they've got a bit more of a clue now so hopefully the coastguard can plot that and get the ships to that area, so fingers crossed they can start searching there." Kay Coombes, Warren's sister, welcomed the reports that debris had been spotted. She told the BBC's Breakfast programme: "I think they've got a bit more of a clue now so hopefully the Coast Guard can plot that and get the ships to that area, so fingers crossed they can start searching there."
She said the families of the missing sailors were still clinging to hope, and thanked Michel for taking the time to search and the coastguard for redoubling its efforts. She said the families of the missing sailors were still clinging to hope, and thanked Michel for taking the time to search and the Coast Guard for redoubling its efforts.
"They are still out there, there's more resources being put into it, so we're still hopeful at this point," she said. "We have got to stay positive. We are still hopeful, we are clinging on to that. We are just keeping going. It is exhausting now, this has been going on for days. We are mentally exhausted, physically exhausted, I think we are running on coffee now rather than anything else, but we are still going, we are still there for him." "They are still out there, there's more resources being put into it, so we're still hopeful at this point," she said. "We have got to stay positive. We are still hopeful, we are clinging on to that. We are just keeping going.
"It is exhausting now, this has been going on for days. We are mentally exhausted, physically exhausted, I think we are running on coffee now rather than anything else, but we are still going, we are still there for him."