UK - Four Cheeki Rafiki crew members, North Atlantic, 16 May 2014

[zwiebel]

This seafarers' forum Figs linked earlier provides some knowledgeable reasons why the search may have been abandoned.

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f2/uk-yacht-cheeki-rafiki-missing-in-mid-atlantic-126406-2.html

 

[zwiebel]

BBM

Surely this crew have a far greater chance of surviving than most ?!

Abandoning after only two days searching for a 4 man life-raft in the mid Atlantic is ridiculous.

*Exactly Zweibel ~ Where is the Royal Navy ??

I'm only going on what I've read on Nth Atlantic Ops in WW2, but I'm guessing the nearest Brit vessel could be three or four days' sailing away.

But then I can't understand why the navy hasn't said...or even indicated there is a ship on the way to help??

 

[zwiebel]

HMS Portland is in the North Atlantic now.
http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/news-an.../140113-hms-portland-sails-on-atlantic-patrol

 

[Little Jedi]

Claire Goslin (student, daughter of missing Paul Goslin):

'My Dad is one of the four sailors currently lost at sea...

There is evidence to suggest they are on the life raft with supplies which will last them a few days...

The Boston Coastguards are calling off the search now after 42 hours of intensive searching...

The weather conditions are improving and we pray they are still alive and well out there to be found...

My family wish to gain as much support as possible so my Dad, along with the other three crew members, can get home safe.'

http://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/Ply...cht-capsizes/story-21109149-detail/story.html

:tears:

 

[Little Jedi]

Questions raised about hunt for missing British yachtsmen

Experts query US Coastguard decision to call off search

"It is not possible to take a helicopter that far off shore ".......

" Aircraft take four or five hours to get there and vessels can take over a week."

Really ???
600 miles ?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukn...about-hunt-for-missing-British-yachtsmen.html

 

[Little Jedi]

Restart the search for the missing Cheeki Rafiki crew members.

Petitioning U.S Coastguard

" The search was called off too soon, when we have reason to believe the crew made it to the life raft. Four lives depend on this. "

Sign Petition :

http://www.change.org/en-GB/petitio...ch-for-the-missing-cheeki-rafiki-crew-members

 

[Yoda]

A little more info on initial search- Two commercial ships diverted to search, coast guard from NC and Nova Scotia also called in to search.

Units across the Northeast conduct more than 2,500 search and rescue cases in a year, and rescue more than 300 people.

http://coastguardnews.com/coast-gua...ilors-1000-miles-east-of-cape-cod/2014/05/16/

 

[Yoda]

article with more info on who helped, plus confirmation that the search was called off.

http://coastguardnews.com/coast-gua...ilors-1000-miles-east-of-cape-cod/2014/05/18/

 

[Yoda]

Questions raised about hunt for missing British yachtsmen

Experts query US Coastguard decision to call off search

"It is not possible to take a helicopter that far off shore ".......

" Aircraft take four or five hours to get there and vessels can take over a week."

Really ???
600 miles ?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukn...about-hunt-for-missing-British-yachtsmen.html

I read this article and this has me shaking my head. Jmo and snarky interpretation: "Yep, they spotted the hull of the Cheeky Rafiki. She was overturned. Being a container ship they were unable to help, but they took some pictures of it. Nah, we aren't sending anyone to the coordinates where it was spotted- that's way out in the middle of the ocean."

 

[beachlvr0810]

I pray they're found safe!

 

[HMSHood]

article with more info on who helped, plus confirmation that the search was called off.

http://coastguardnews.com/coast-gua...ilors-1000-miles-east-of-cape-cod/2014/05/18/

From the article.
BOSTON — The Coast Guard has suspended its active search, pending further developments, for four sailors 1,000 miles east of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, at 5 a.m. Sunday.

Watchstanders from the 1st Coast Guard District command center in Boston were notified at approximately 12:30 a.m., Friday, of two 406MHz personal locator beacons registered to the 39-foot U.K.-flagged sailing vessel Cheeki Rafiki.

Here is a satellite image from around that time.

There are storms, but not in the general location of where Cheeki Rafiki went missing. I suspect the waves from those storms could be a factor. The water in that area can be rough, but they can be calm as a pond. There are storms southeast of where the boat's last known location.

 

[Yoda]

Does anyone know how long searches usually go on for? I'm sure it varies by location, size of vessel, etc. It just seems odd with all the positive factors: sighting of the hull, experienced sailors, proper survival equipment. JMO

 

[Little Jedi]

:floorlaugh:
Thanks for the explanation, I have no idea what to look for !

 

[Little Jedi]

Does anyone know how long searches usually go on for? I'm sure it varies by location, size of vessel, etc. It just seems odd with all the positive factors: sighting of the hull, experienced sailors, proper survival equipment. JMO

I've really no idea but agree that it seems odd !

As you say there is a lot of positive factors & 2 days is no time at all.

The conditions don't sound especially treacherous for searchers.

 

[Wondergirl]

I am really trying to get it in my head why the Coastguard would call off the search

I am assuming that there would be email/social media/phone communication with this boat

 

[Wondergirl]

May 18th, 2014

Watchstanders from the 1st Coast Guard District command center in Boston were notified at approximately 12:30 a.m., Friday, of two 406MHz personal locator beacons registered to the 39-foot U.K.-flagged sailing vessel Cheeki Rafiki.

At approximately 12 p.m. Saturday, the crew from the 1,000-foot motor vessel Maersk Kure located an overturned hull that matched the description of the Cheeki Rafiki, but no sign of the sailors.

Searching were crews from:

- U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City, North Carolina HC-130 Hercules aircraft

-A U.S. Air Force C-130 aircraft, from Moody Air Force Base, in Valdosta, Georgia

-A Canadian air national guard C-130 aircraft

-The 600-foot motor vessel Teesta Spirit

-The 652-foot motor vessel Georgia Highway

-The 1,000-foot motor vessel Maersk Kure

Weather on scene was 30-knot winds and 13 to 15-foot seas.

http://coastguardnews.com/coast-gua...ilors-1000-miles-east-of-cape-cod/2014/05/18/

 

[Wondergirl]

May 16th, 2014

A Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City, North Carolina, HC-130 Hercules aircraft crew immediately launched to locate the sailing vessel.

The district command center watchstanders also contacted available vessels in the area to assist. Crews from the 600-foot Teesta Spirit and the 652-foot Georgia Highway diverted to assist.

The Joint Rescue Coordination Center Halifax, Nova Scotia, also launched a Canadian Air National Guard C-130 aircraft to assist in the search. The Hercules crew arrived on scene at approximately 8:30 a.m. The crew continued to search through the morning and located small pieces of debris, but no sign of the sailors. The air crew departed the area for Halifax, Nova Scotia, to refuel and swap flight crews.

Weather on scene is 50-knot winds and 15-foot seas.

http://coastguardnews.com/coast-gua...ilors-1000-miles-east-of-cape-cod/2014/05/16/

 

[Wondergirl]

[B]NOTE[/B] - This is NOT the exact area where the Cheeki Rafiki was last known to be. This is a map of another vessel that was taking on water this month, and a rescue operation was sent out and rescued the 3 sailors. I am only posting it for reference of the genera vicinity. That is all

http://www.vesselfinder.com/news/20...by-the-US-Coast-Guard-1200-miles-off-Cape-Cod

 

[Wondergirl]

More Info -

It is understood that the missing sailors made an initial call by satellite phone on Thursday about water on board the vessel. A second brief call four hours later said conditions were deteriorating, but gave no further information. Shortly afterwards, the US Coast Guard received a distress alert from Bridge and launched the search.The four crew members were described as very experienced yachtsmen and Bridge....

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/may/18/four-british-yachtsmen-missing-atlantic

 

[Wondergirl]

US Coastguard spokesman Rob Simpson said it had "saturated the area" in a two-day search and "we would have found them" if it had been possible.

2 Minute Audio File By Simpson here at this link

In a press release, the US Coastguard said the search area had involved approximately 4,146 square miles and it was "extremely disappointed" not to have found the sailors. Winds at the start of the search were said to have been blowing at more than 50mph, the sea reached heights of up to 20ft and visibility was reduced to under a mile. "It is extremely challenging to respond to a distress case so far off shore, which is why it takes a joint effort with our international partners

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-27462450