Finiye accident Formentera (Balearic Islands)

[DeadPoet]

This morning (May 15, 2015) the 32 ft yacht "Finiye" sailing under French flag carrying 6 Belgian nationals crashed against the cliffs around 07.00am. Three persons died and three others reached land and were taken to the hospital with signs of hypothermia.

Tragedy in Formentera due to bad sea conditions, Formentera | SeeMallorca.com

The yacht was anchored in the vicinity of Es Caló on the Balearic Island of Formentera. According to the link below there was a sudden change in weather and a wave threw the yacht on the cliffs.

VIDEOS. Trois plaisanciers belges périssent aux Baléares

What a tragedy... Dragging anchor on a lee shore while the crew was asleep? Today's Windfinder forecast for Formentera at 7am predicted wind gusts of up to 39 knots and waves of 3m. Could that have been sufficient to break the anchor loose?

My thoughts are with the victims' friends and families.

[NSboatman]

yes. More than sufficient to break an anchor loose if it wasn't particularly well set or in poor holding ground.

It's very sad to see these folks taken out like this - always and of course.

They must not have been particularly experienced, or were somehow in a bad spot for some reason. it's a very bad situation to be on that sort of lee shore with only a small bit of chain/rope/metal between you and boat-munching cliffs; something no one with any experience - and even many without much experience - would recognize and work very hard to avoid. No way I'd be sleeping while anchored a short distance from that kind of lee shore for sure!

but - there's always more to the story. in this case, 3 folks died. very, very sad. I hope the other three recover fully.

bg