Posted on 04/29/2012 9:48:12 AM PDT by BenLurkin
NEWPORT BEACH (AP) — A yacht involved in a race off the coast of California and Mexico apparently collided at night with a much larger vessel, leaving three crew members dead and one missing, a sailing organization said early Sunday. It was the state’s second ocean racing tragedy this month.
The 37-foot Aegean carrying a crew of four was reported missing Saturday during a 125-mile Newport Beach, Calif. to Ensenada, Mexico yacht race, the U.S. Coast Guard said.
The Newport Ocean Sailing Association, the race organizer, said the accident occurred late Friday or early Saturday several miles off the coast near the ocean border of the two countries.
“It appeared the damage was not inflicted by an explosion but by a collision with a ship much larger than the 37-foot vessel,” association spokesman Rich Roberts said in a news release early Sunday.
Race officials believe there are few other possibilities for what caused the accident, Roberts later told The Associated Press, speaking by phone from Ensenada.
He said details were still scarce but it was possible that if the smaller boat was bobbing around in light wind, the crew might not have been able to get out of the way of a larger ship, perhaps a freighter. The race goes through shipping lanes and it’s possible for a large ship to hit a sailboat and not even know it, especially at night, he said.
Roberts said a race tracking system indicated that the boat disappeared about 1:30 a.m. PDT Saturday.
A Coast Guard search turned up the boat’s wreckage, including the rear transom with the boat’s name on it, the association release said.
Three crew members of the sailboat were found dead and a search was under way early Sunday for the fourth.
(Excerpt) Read more at losangeles.cbslocal.com ...
When I was an officer in the Navy, we followed what my Captain called the “steel, wood, fiberglass” rule. We were steel and the top of the chain and the concept is based on the “Rule of Gross Tonnage”. I was on a submarine and when we came into port we were pretty much limited to the channel. Many pleasure boats would come over to take a look and there was no way we could maneuver even if we wanted to.
Another thing is that I don’t see the crew wearing any life vests. That usually is required at all times on deck in a race.
Generally true, but not if the other vessel is constrained by maneuverability or draft. Anyway, if a sailboat is struck by a freighter, the sailors will be lucky to survive to make their case in maritime court.
Lots of very large cruise ships in those waters. Could make a mess of a small sailing vessel.
Maybe not, but I know that there are three sailors dead due to a collision with commercial shipping, and the commercial vessel didn’t stop.
The yacht in question had a radar reflector, by the way.
Maybe not, but I know that there are three sailors dead due to a collision with commercial shipping, and the commercial vessel didn’t stop.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.