Capsize whilst Motor Sailing ??

[Palarran]

I'd see no reason to have two epirbs. If I needed a second locator beacon, it would be a PLB and attached to my arm or vest. I actually have two of them and an epirb so I'm covered. You can plan all you want and still never have what you need in situations such as this.

[Factor]

In or about the same area as the capsized and rescused cat it appears another sailor is in trouble in that area, Have no idea as to what boat, but there is a blog for a South African mono called SO LONG, but that is only speculation at this stage.

A capsize is inconvenient - loss of craft and crew is deeply concerning.


Solo sailor in rough seas

During mid afternoon on Saturday 25th June, 2011, NSRI East London were placed on alert by the Transnet National Ports Authority following a “Pan Pan” (a request for assistance) from a male solo sailor aboard his yacht So Long reporting to be experiencing some mechanical problems in very rough sea conditions some 12 nautical miles off-shore in the vicinity of the Kei River Mouth, (22 nautical miles North East of East London), on the Eastern Cape Coastline.

Sea swells at the time were rough 7 to 8 meter swells and very strong winds.

No rescue operation was immediately launched as the male had requested only assistance and he was not declaring a full-blown emergency distress.

NSRI East London were placed on high alert and an NSRI Air Sea Rescue team were placed on alert with the AV8 helicopter company (East London) and with the SA Air Force 15 Squadron, Charlie Flight, (Port Elizabeth), while Maritime Radio Services continued to monitor communications and the position of the yacht via VHF Radio communications and satellite telephone.

At approximately 05h00 this morning, Sunday 26th June, 2011, no further communications could be reached with the yacht and at 07h00, with sea and weather conditions having subsided considerably, a fixed wing aircraft and NSRI East London’s deep-sea rescue craft Spirit of Lotto was dispatched to search for the yacht.

No sign of the yacht and the solo sailor has been found and vessels along the coast have been requested to keep a look-out and NSRI coast watchers along the coast are keeping watch.

Efforts are continuing to attempt to raise the yacht on communications.

An active search operation was suspended late this afternoon and will be resumed pending any new information.”

[biltong]

Gulliver has been found. Here is a newspaper report.
Greg’s yacht Gulliver has been found « St Francis Chronicle

Also, the solo sailor mentioned in the previous post was located a couple of days after the post when he arrived in Port Elizabeth, a couple of hundred kilometers south of East London, South African East coast.