T&T: Texas USCG Rescue

[Peggy Bjarno]

This is quite a story. One of the survivors from this sailboat is the father
of a friend of mine. As I understand it (and understand please that we've
gotten some pretty frantic, discouraged, excited reports) he is Retired Coast
Guard, a first class Safety Officer. Accompanied by another Safety Officer,
they had four college students with them for the race, "Regata de Amigos,"
from Galveston to Santa Cruz in Mexico. According to the father of my friend
they were sailing along at 7 knots plus on this gorgeous day (Friday) when
they struck something hard. The boat immediately foundered. It was discovered
later that the keel was ripped off. When the Coast Guard found the boat it was
capsized and there were no obvious survivors. However, they kept looking and
in the night, the light carried by the father of my friend attracted the
attention of the helicopter they heard. There were five survivors, with not
one pfd, but four. The sixth man is still missing.
I'm sure to learn more, and will post an update when I have it.

Peggy Bjarno


From: "Ron Rogers" <rcrogers6 at kennett.net>
Subject: T&T: Texas USCG Rescue
To: "Trawlers & Trawlering"
	<trawlers-and-trawlering at lists.samurai.com>
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 5 Sailors Stranded 26 Hrs. In Gulf Rescued

Why did it take so long? Keith, aren't Gulf sailboat racers required to
carry any beacons like an EPIRB? It is thought that their keel fell-off and
she capsized. One sailor is missing - perhaps inside the hull? The 5 shared
one life-preserver.

Ron Rogers