Skip to content
All about general news. — Accidents — All about sports.

Yacht Passenger Falls Overboard, US Maritime Rescue Coordination Center Stops Active Search. Second Abandoned Vessel Witnessed in Another Incident.

A participant from the ARC rally's yacht, a Volvo 70, has vanished into the Mid-Atlantic waters; the US Maritime Rescue Coordination Center has called off the rescue operation.

,   and  ASMedia
2 min read
Yacht Passenger goes overboard in ARC: US Maritime Rescue Coordination Center halts active rescue...
Yacht Passenger goes overboard in ARC: US Maritime Rescue Coordination Center halts active rescue efforts. Another yacht leaves crew stranded in second abandonment incident.

Yacht Passenger Falls Overboard, US Maritime Rescue Coordination Center Stops Active Search. Second Abandoned Vessel Witnessed in Another Incident.

In the midst of the ongoing 2024 Atlantic Rally for Cruisers (ARC), a dramatic incident occurred when a crew member from the Volvo 70 yacht Ocean Breeze went overboard. The sailor, identified as 33-year-old Swedish sailor Dag Eresund, was recovered safely with no reported major injuries.

The incident took place during the race portion of the ARC, which starts in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, and ends in the Caribbean. Ocean Breeze, a high-performance racing vessel, was skippered by Dutch Skipper Bouwe Bekking in the 2008 Volvo Ocean Race, finishing 3rd.

Ocean Breeze has a rich racing history, having been previously named Telefonica Blue and Team Sanya in the Volvo Ocean Race. It was refitted and raced as Sanya in a Chinese/Irish entry in the 2011-2012 Volvo Ocean Race, finishing 6th. Currently, the yacht is sailing in the IRC racing division of the ARC rally.

In a separate incident, the crew of the Leopard 45 catamaran Karolina Viking abandoned ship due to a leak originating from around the rudder stock base in the starboard engine compartment. The leak was reported at 0300 (UTC) on Monday 2 December. The search for the lost crew member was initiated by MRCC Norfolk USA, involving Ocean Breeze, another ARC entrant, Leaps & Bounds 2, and motor yacht Project X.

Air cover was not possible due to the distance of the incidents from land. The active search was halted due to loss of daylight and worsening seas. The family of Dag Eresund has given permission for his name to be released.

The incident underscores the importance of safety protocols, including the use of harnesses and life jackets, especially in challenging offshore conditions. It also highlights the skill and preparedness of the Ocean Breeze crew in handling emergencies during a major sailing rally.

For more specific details or follow-up information about the incidents, official race reports or statements from the participating yacht's teams would be the best sources, as man overboard incidents are serious events recorded carefully in race logs. The ARC rally is currently underway, and updates on the progress and safety of participants are being closely monitored.

Read also:

Related

Latest