Five days adrift: foreigners rescued from sailing yacht

[snoop1130]

Five days adrift: foreigners rescued from sailing yacht
Chutharat Plerin

PHUKET: -- The Royal Thai Navy (RTN) on Sunday assisted with the rescue of four foreigners who had been adrift at sea on a damaged sailing yacht for five days.

The Canadian and British sailors were aboard the Malaysian-flagged yacht Kiss when the engine stopped working. Shortly thereafter, the lead mast on the boat cracked, followed by the sail ripping after it was hoisted up a secondary mast, explained a member of the RTN Third Area Command who declined to be named.

Maryse Doyer, 68; Jaques Doyer, 63; Andre Belzile, 73; and Colin David Osmond, 37, were rescued and brought on board the cargo ship MV Kota Teguh. Crew provided them food and water, and radioed the RTN for assistance.

Full Story: http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket-news/Five-days-adrift-foreigners-rescued-sailing-yacht/63294?desktopversion#ad-image-0

-- Phuket Gazette 2016-03-01

[mcfish]

That's a serious run of bad luck but at least they are out there having a crack at life!

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[LivinginKata]

Speaking as a serious yachtie in my younger years I would comment why no food and water for just 5 days adrift. I would keep at least a month's worth a food and water onboard at all times.

Engine failure, mast cracked, sail ripped. Bit more than bad luck, sounds like a poorly maintained sail boat.

[eisfeld]

Don't these yachts have a small emergency motor? And why didn't they reach someone via radio?

Going on a boat trip always requires very good preparations. Glad they survived.

[LivinginKata]

Don't these yachts have a small emergency motor? And why didn't they reach someone via radio?

Going on a boat trip always requires very good preparations. Glad they survived.

Sailing boats usually have a small inboard motor, and that was the motor that failed. In my case I could mount the tender outboard on the stern ladder in the case of a major emergency. And a good qustion about the radio, but it would be a marine VHF with a range of about 30 miles. Really only a bit more than double line-of-sight with another vessel.

[Happy Grumpy]

Wonder if they'd have been treated the same if they were Rohingyaese.

[tolsti]

Why did they not have an EPIRB on board? Seems rather stupid to sail in foreign seas with limited radio coverage without a satellite based system.

[DonaldBattles]

Maybe these people stole the boat after they escaped from the nut house.

[surangw]

all that investment in a pleasure craft and no money for an elt ?

[tingtongfarang]

Don't these yachts have a small emergency motor? And why didn't they reach someone via radio?

Going on a boat trip always requires very good preparations. Glad they survived.

Some have a drop down outboard, others have an inboard volvo penta or similar but either way it does,nt have to be powerful,

I have found both can be troublesome even whith good maintenance.

[thairay]

no food on board,no dingy with power. bad motor.sails and masts no good...this was surely a suicide attempt

[Colabamumbai]

I think that they are lucky to be alive.

[Bullie]

These people should not be on a sailing boat in the first place.

As a serious blue water sailor I know it's important to be well prepared for any eventuality when out at the ocean. This includes sufficient food and water for a month, materials and tool to either repair the main engine, or jury rig a small mast with part of a sail to at least steer in the right direction. Also the VHF should have sufficed in this particular instance: they were only 52 nautical miles off Phuket, there's lots of sea traffic in the area. VHF should roughly give you a 35 mile radius.

Gross incompetence on the skippers part, in my eyes.

[sawadee1947]

at the and: Good luck.... All safe. Insurance will pay (hopefully)

[Ulic]

With all the fishing boats, I am left scratching my head. Poorly maintained boat, and an

unprepared captain. Rolly Tasker sail company is on Phuket, and makes great sails.