Twelve rescued from sinking yacht off S.W. Iceland

T

Thrall

Well-Known Member
Joined
8 Dec 2004
Messages
72
Location
Reykjavik Iceland
Visit site
Twelve persons, four adult crew and eight younger passengers were last night rescued from a sinking German yacht 17nm. from Garðskagi on the south west coast of Iceland. The Mayday was sent out at 23.00 when the yacht started taking in water in heavy seas. A nearby trawler arrived on the scene after 30 minutes but it took three hours before a lifeboat managed to put pumps on board and take all twelve off. After being taken in tow, the line parted however and further salvage attempts were abandoned, with the yacht now considered probably sunk. Lifeboat crew commented on how poorly clad the rescued were.
 
No name for the vessel yet, but she was a German red two-masted schooner with three yards on the foremast, about 15 metres long. Seven children were on board aged 11 - 15 en route for Westman Islands from Snæfellsnes for a crew change. In a radio interview, the rescue coordinator emphasised that it had been very touch and go, huge seas, darkness, floating debris which blocked the pumps and great relief that all survived. Several fishing vessels were involved, three lifeboats and a helicopter. The Red Cross in Reykjavík is now looking after the crew and providing trauma counselling.
 
The vessel was the brigantine "Falado von Rhodos", built 1968, <http://www.marinetraffic.com/ais/shipdetails.aspx?MMSI=211289060> , which shows her last departure from Rif on Snæfellsnes, recently owned by the German Sea Scouts, as far as I can gather.
There will be a hearing soon to investigate the accident. Until then, no further details are being released. The vessel that ultimately rescued the crew was the "Einar Sigurjónsson" <http://www.flickr.com/photos/compleo/3266568096/> from the rescue team in Hafnarfjörður, west of Reykjavík, which if I am not mistaken is ex. R.N.L.I., as are many lifeboats in Iceland.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top