SOUTH AFRICA: Crew members of an ill-fated yacht Cowrie Dancer which overturned in high seas off South Africa arrive safely in Cape Town
- 00:00:13
- ITN Source
SOUTH AFRICA: Crew members of an ill-fated yacht Cowrie Dancer which overturned in high seas off South Africa arrive safely in Cape Town
Crew members of an ill-fated yacht which overturned in high seas off South Africa arrive safely in Cape Town two weeks after they sent a distress signal. Rescued crew members of the ill-fated yacht Cowrie Dancer, which overturned in high seas off South Africa, arrived in Cape Town on Monday (May 14) two weeks after a distress signal was sent. Emotional relatives greeted two Australians, Nicholas Lawson, and skipper Dale Peterson, and South African Carol Erasmus, who were brought to safety by a South Africa ship. A fourth passenger, Australian John Blackman, was knocked overboard by huge swells and is presumed dead. "Unfortunately in Mr Blackman's case, he went over when the water was 16 degrees (celsius). He did go over wearing foul weather gear. That gives you about 12 hours and we could only start our search 48 hours after he was in the water so…I don't like o use that but the chances are not good," said Jonathan Wanliss, captain of SA Agulhas, the ship that rescued the crew. SA Agulhas, a South African vessel, sailed from Marion Island in the Southern Ocean on May 1 and reached the yacht a day later. Its crew spent 24 hours searching for Blackman before returning to Marion Island on May 3. The ship left for Cape Town five days later after picking up supplies and delivered the survivors to safety on Monday. Peterson, who needs a hip replacement after fracturing his femur, was immediately transferred by ambulance to a Cape Town hospital. "This is bad. We've lost a man. We lost a friend and John was a very experienced sailor and a top bloke. John was a super guy. He…I can't speak much more than that. Sailing is important, I think and I'll be sailing and I think Carol will be sailing again," said Lawson. A helicopter, sent ahead of the rescue ship, made contact with the yacht but could not airlift them because debris and the vessel's sails made it too dangerous. Instead a trauma medic and second mate were landed in the water and made their way to the Cowrie Dancer. Several hours lapsed before the SA Agulhas reached the yacht and the injured were moved to a fast-rescue sea craft.
ITN Source | May 15, 2007
