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Missing sailor rescued from damaged yacht Missing sailor rescued from damaged yacht
(about 7 hours later)
A sailor has been rescued from his badly-damaged boat after nearly 12 hours adrift in stormy seas.A sailor has been rescued from his badly-damaged boat after nearly 12 hours adrift in stormy seas.
The yachtsman sent a VHF radio message shortly before 17:00 BST on Monday, reporting the vessel was at risk of capsizing in the English Channel. The 52-year-old man sent a VHF radio message shortly before 17:00 BST on Monday, reporting the yacht was at risk of capsizing in the English Channel.
Two coastguard helicopters, a navy helicopter, a French aircraft, a navy vessel and lifeboats, began searching 37 miles (60km) south of the Needles. A major search involving the coastguard and navy was called off before he was found at 04:00, 18 miles south of Portland.
The man was found with the yacht at 04:00, 18 miles south of Portland. He had been living on the vessel and was travelling from France to Poole.
He is not believed to be seriously injured but arrived on shore with his arm in a sling. He is not believed to be seriously injured but arrived on shore with his arm in a sling before being taken to hospital.
The MCA said: "Coastguards coordinating the search for a trimaran in the Channel overnight were contacted by the British naval vessel HMS St Albans shortly before 4am, reporting they were standing by a dismasted trimaran with one person visible on top of the damaged vessel. 'Hanging on'
Two coastguard helicopters, a navy helicopter, a French aircraft, a navy vessel and lifeboats originally searched an area 37 miles (60km) south of the Needles.
Cdr Catherine Jordan, of HMS St Albans, said this was the position the man had given to coastguards.
She added the search had concluded before he was found during the navy vessel's normal duties.
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) said: "Coastguards coordinating the search for a trimaran in the Channel overnight were contacted by the British naval vessel HMS St Albans shortly before 4am, reporting they were standing by a dismasted trimaran with one person visible on top of the damaged vessel.
"The RNLI all-weather lifeboat from Weymouth went to the scene and has recovered a man from the damaged vessel and it is reported that there was only one person on board.""The RNLI all-weather lifeboat from Weymouth went to the scene and has recovered a man from the damaged vessel and it is reported that there was only one person on board."
Cdr Jordan said the boat was "leaning over and drifting in the heavy seas" when the yachtsman was discovered.
"He was hanging on - it wasn't pleasant for him, the yacht was rolling around a lot," she said, adding: "He was in distress."
'Atrocious conditions''Atrocious conditions'
Andrew Jenkins, of the MCA, said the "very faint" Mayday call was picked up by a merchant vessel.Andrew Jenkins, of the MCA, said the "very faint" Mayday call was picked up by a merchant vessel.
He said: "Quite a large scale search was undertaken in quite atrocious conditions. He said: "Quite a large-scale search was undertaken in quite atrocious conditions.
"Once the units on scene had used up their endurance, we called in a fifth rescue helicopter from RAF Chivenor to complete the search but the conditions were so bad that they had to return off their search due to the electrical storms in the area." "Once the units on scene had used up their endurance, we called in a fifth rescue helicopter from RAF Chivenor to complete the search but the conditions were so bad that they had to call off their search due to the electrical storms in the area."
Mr Jenkins said the man was brought ashore by a lifeboat because the conditions were too severe to winch him off.Mr Jenkins said the man was brought ashore by a lifeboat because the conditions were too severe to winch him off.
"He was described as having no serious injuries but clearly, having spent the best part of 12 hours on the board a dismasted vessel in very rough conditions, I think he is very, very cold and probably suffering from some level of hypothermia." "He was described as having no serious injuries but clearly, having spent the best part of 12 hours on board a dismasted vessel in very rough conditions, I think he is very, very cold and probably suffering from some level of hypothermia."