Figueira 2 deaths

25931

25931

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The German yacht Meri Tuuli with five people including two women aboard attempted to enter Figueira da Foz yesterday when the port was closed due to bad conditions. She capsized as did the Sea Police boat which tried to assist. One policeman and one crew member died. The rest were washed onto the beach and, although suffering some injuries and hypothermia are reported not to be in any danger. There is no information re life jackets etc. at the moment.
 
Talulah said:
This boat?
http://www.well-sailing.de/merituuli.html
Click to expand...

from the site

[From exercising the harbor maneuvers, skipper training, driving instruction on sports travel trips to the Atlantic Regatta is our MERI Tuuli inside everything.
Many will be surprised how comfortable this fast, 13,50 m long extended X-Yacht!
Large cockpit, beautiful teak extension , 8 comfortable berths in 4 cabins (2 bunk beds), the salon remains free, large pantry, large chart table, sitting area with a large table, 2 WC-/Waschräume, of course everything to keep and what you as for navigating needs including, color radar, chartplotter, weather receiver, Navtex etc.. course (for us) have the MERI Tuuli about Sicherheitsszeugnis and the Permit to the BG traffic for long trips. Like our other Törnyacht-the SANTA MARIA well - is the MERI Tuuli lovingly maintained and be fast in her love have . Subsequent repeat booking is not excluded! We prove the MERI Tuuli max.6 with paying passengers plus 1 or 2 Skipper inside.]

we all make cock-ups from time to time
a great sadness at the loss of life

 
Tragic, but not for the first time on that coast. I've never understood why Biscay sustains such a mean reputation when Portugal's west coast -- lee shore, shoaling harbours, very few safe refuges and usually very little sea-room -- seems the nastier.

As for "reported not to be in any danger", I presume that doesn't take in to account any action the Portuguese authorities might take.
 
macd said:
Tragic, but not for the first time on that coast. I've never understood why Biscay sustains such a mean reputation when Portugal's west coast -- lee shore, shoaling harbours, very few safe refuges and usually very little sea-room -- seems the nastier.

As for "reported not to be in any danger", I presume that doesn't take in to account any action the Portuguese authorities might take.
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You have a point they might be displeased at having lost a policeman. I'll keep an eye open and post any new info.
 
FYI
I have entered that harbour twice over the years, it is truly truly a NO GO when in a rage, folks. (Having waited each time to leave, with walk outs to the training groins..)

Some fishing boats do go out but are, as I saw, literally standing on their powerful props when mounting the breaking crests, and they pace it too, waiting...huge energy in those breaking seas..
 
this is a picture from one of my Imray paper chart scan, it says the ebb can run up to 7kt,

figueira_zps6edcc03d.jpg


the news report the accident at 1700, which (if wxtide is correct) mean 2 hours after HW, a strong ebb current against oncoming waves/swell, plus depth decreasing by one half in a few metres... sounds very bad :(
 
Roberto said:
this is a picture from one of my Imray paper chart scan, it says the ebb can run up to 7kt,
the news report the accident at 1700, which (if wxtide is correct) mean 2 hours after HW, a strong ebb current against oncoming waves/swell, plus depth decreasing by one half in a few metres... sounds very bad :(
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Been there at springs with just a modest NW breeze: impressive. Must be god-awful in any sort of blow/swell. The Atlantic Spain and Portugal pilot warns vividly against entry in adverse conditions.
 
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I see in today's paper that the Sea Police do not receive training in rescue work nor are their ribs suitable because recue isn't part of their job . It is also reported that his widow will receive a pension of €267 PER MONTH. His net pay was €800 p.m. What a superb example of humanity.
 
25931 said:
I see in today's paper that the Sea Police do not receive training in rescue work nor are their ribs suitable because recue isn't part of their job . It is also reported that his widow will receive a pension of €267 PER MONTH. His net pay was €800 p.m. What a superb example of humanity.
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Should make a claim against the yacht owners insurance!
 
If 25931's information -- that the entrance was closed -- is correct, and appropriate lights/shapes were on show, you'd imagine it's as close to a slam dunk as these things get.

Must same I'm a little surprised at the lack of armchair analysis on the incident, considering a fishing boat boffing a square-rigger fairly harmlessly recently generated more words than Tolstoy in a busy year. Perhaps the matter's just to grave for that sort of speculation.
 
Maybe yachtsmen should read the old pilot books and then they would have the fears put in them.The galician coast and the Portugese coasts are not nice in strong onshore winds and a good offing should be kept.One thing is a cruise in settled weather in the summer and another is in March April.This incident of which till there is an inquirery the facts will not be known would seem to be an example of making for the land when they should have kept at sea.20 miles off.Last year three Spanish policemen lost their lives doing what they considered their duty trying to rescue someone from the surf who should not have beeb anywhere near it.
 
macd said:
Must same I'm a little surprised at the lack of armchair analysis on the incident, considering a fishing boat boffing a square-rigger fairly harmlessly recently generated more words than Tolstoy in a busy year. Perhaps the matter's just to grave for that sort of speculation.
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I think we would all like to post our 2d worth. However, in my case, I am holding back. The reason is that - in the example I gave in post #4 - I actually met the skipper about six months after the incident.

The picture he painted was very, very different from the reported 'facts'.
 
macd said:
If 25931's information -- that the entrance was closed -- is correct, and appropriate lights/shapes were on show, you'd imagine it's as close to a slam dunk as these things get.
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Hi Mac,

just out of interest, I checked what type of visual signal one should look for, as it is not so evident. (Port closures are sent by Navtex, I remember having read them from time to time, so that is one warning).

After having checked a few official Portuguese documents, it seems to me that:

1. They have "bad weather visual warning signals", which seem to be common throughout the coast, like these

visual1_zps9becfba9.jpg

taken from
http://autoridademaritima.marinha.p...norte/Documents/CAP P LEIXOES/Edital 2011.pdf

and these

Visual2_zps3400f8fd.jpg
[/URL]

taken from

http://autoridademaritima.marinha.p...norte/figueira/Documents/Edital 01 - 2012.pdf

Note there is a slight difference in night signals in the bottom rows.
As far as I can remember they are very similar to port visual signals for example in France (I have my copy on the boat and basically have never seen them).


As to indication of port closure, the above document from Figueira Port Authority reports these signals -respectively closed to <11m, closed to <35, closed for anyone. To differentiate between the night signals in the two left cases, the text explains the <11m lights are flashing, whereas the <35m lights are fixed.

visual3_zpsa6ee6ecf.jpg


By day, the black ball as a "port signal" means one thing, as a "bad weather warning signal" means another one.
The above text specifies the "port closure signals" are to be shown from the "Mastro de Sta Caterina", whereas the "bad weather warning signal" are to be shown from the "Estação Salva-Vida", which I suppose is somewhere else.

The above document from Leixoes Port Authority reports these signals instead for the port situation, the night signals for "port closed" are the same as Figueira "Port closed for under 35m". They have other special signals to authorize fishing boats to look for shelter inside the port.

visual4_zps72528d24.jpg



I have the impression that it is not very very very clear and that more consistency would not be a bad thing with such an important warning along that coast.
I do not remember the pilot book describing visual signals in detail, certainly not "Black ball in Figueira: if it's on the LIfesaving stations means this, if on the Fort means that"?


ps the picture of the port I posted above is from an old chart, I am told the northern arm has been extended
 
After getting to Fig de Foz in a decent blow once, and it wasn't very pleasant! I have to wonder why the boat tried to enter when/if the port was closed. If it was me (after doing that coast and getting into Povoa de Vazim just before it was closed for 2 weeks, due to wx!) I'd have stayed well offshore, and carried on south.

We all can and do make mistakes, but it's a bad mistake when people die and boats get lost.
 
We entered, when the entrance was closed, earlier this month. Our copy of Reeds is wrong about the meaning of some of the signals. As we had broken the law, we were met at the marina by two port Policemen, they were friendly, helpful and professional. The system in Portugal dictates that they produce vast amounts of paperwork, they did this without complaint. Today we are sat on Elba in La Palma and for the first time since we left it is a very sad place.
Allan
 
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