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

[FigTree]

I wish there were other pictures of just before they left to sail -
so people knew exactly what they were wearing - or personal items and so forth which were on and in the yacht.

If nothing is found during the search, there is a possibility of some clue being washed up later on - it has happened before.

I am yet to see a photo of footwear - footwear floats, and certain footwear wont/cant be eaten by fish.

If there was a list of items - or something that could be used to identify them personally for people to look out for - items which may at one time wash up on shore along the coast lines.

I have not given up hope for finding them - just thinking aloud - in case anything does come into shore over the next few weeks.

lease:

 

[zwiebel]

I wish there were other pictures of just before they left to sail -
so people knew exactly what they were wearing - or personal items and so forth which were on and in the yacht.

If nothing is found during the search, there is a possibility of some clue being washed up later on - it has happened before.

I am yet to see a photo of footwear - footwear floats, and certain footwear wont/cant be eaten by fish.

If there was a list of items - or something that could be used to identify them personally for people to look out for - items which may at one time wash up on shore along the coast lines.

I have not given up hope for finding them - just thinking aloud - in case anything does come into shore over the next few weeks.

lease:

I have some thoughts on this, but I am going to wait until all search efforts have ceased and it is accepted the crew are deceased, lost at sea. In about 7 hours the official searches will stop. I'm hanging fire until then. Just hoping before that, someone will find 4 dehydrated, cold, hungry but still living people out there on those unforgiving seas.

 

[zwiebel]

Hull found! Just said on the radio!

 

[zwiebel]

Windows smashed, cabin beneath water. Diver went down and knocked on the hull, but no answering sound.....they couldn't actually get into the yacht to see if liferaft deployed.

Not making this up, honest. Will find a link post haste.

ETA: Here is the link.
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-27551917

 

[zwiebel]

It was a swimmer, not a diver who went down. So they wouldn't have been able to go beneath the surface and check for signs of life.

But if anyone was alive beneath that Hull, they would have knocked back when they heard the swimmer tapping, surely?

 

[zwiebel]

The Cheeki FB page. They are posting about this latest discovery.

https://www.facebook.com/CheekiRafiki?ref=nf

 

[FigTree]

US Coast Guard News Room. Read full report:

SEARCH CREWS LOCATE OVERTURNED HULL OF DISTRESSED SAILING VESSEL 1,000 MILES OFFSHORE MASSACHUSETTS
BOSTON - A U.S.

Navy warship helicopter crew located the overturned hull of the Cheeki Rafiki 1,000 miles offshore Massachusetts and within the U.S. Coast Guard's search area, Friday.

There was no evidence to suggest the vessel was different from the capsized boat already located during searches on Saturday, May 17, also within a U.S. Coast Guard search area.

Navy crews observed that the sailing vessel's keel was broken off, causing a breech in the hull.

 

[Seajay]

The beacon coordinates indicated it was 1,000 miles off Massachusetts, and lo and behold, the hull was located 1,000 miles off Massachusetts. Why did it take so long to locate it?

And from the report ^^^^^above, they are saying that it's the same hull that was spotted last week by the container ship??? What kind of nonsense is going on? If I were a family member of the crew, I would be livid.

 

[FigTree]

It was a swimmer, not a diver who went down. So they wouldn't have been able to go beneath the surface and check for signs of life.

But if anyone was alive beneath that Hull, they would have knocked back when they heard the swimmer tapping, surely?

Amazing find!! This is good news.
Hope renewed for the family!
Now the wait for an inspection of the yacht inside the hull, and also to see if the life raft was launched. At least the family will have some answers soon.

I did read:
"As a matter of policy, the U.S. Coast Guard does not perform salvage operations".
...so possibly the recovery of the yacht is handled by someone else.

,

 

[Wondergirl]

Windows smashed, cabin beneath water. Diver went down and knocked on the hull, but no answering sound.....they couldn't actually get into the yacht to see if liferaft deployed.

Not making this up, honest. Will find a link post haste.

ETA: Here is the link.
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-27551917

Wow. Thank-God. I'm sorry, but it seems to me like the Coast Guard doesn't have the funds for this search.

I hate to say this, but, what if there were 4 U.S. Sailors missing in U.K. waters? Would the situation be the same? Would the U.S. citizens accept it?

I'm just feeling pretty pizzed off.

Why the hell did it take so long to find the boat anyway? I thought they had apx. coordinates?

*end of rant*

 

[FigTree]

http://www.sail-world.com/Australia...heeki-Rafiki---no-signs-of-life-aboard/122463

Just Bookmarking this: also adding - another rescue of another craft took place.
Second Atlantic rescue
In a second incident, the US Coastguard report they have arranged the transfer of three crew from a 41ft yacht Elusive, was beset by storms in the Atlantic Ocean, approximately 350 miles east of Virginia Beach.
Rescued are Larry Monesson, 60, Sean Monesoon, 40, and James Moore, 40.
-----

 

[FigTree]

Read more:
US Navy find the hull of the Cheeki Rafiki but NOT its life rafts
- and now there are just hours to find its four missing sailors in vast Atlantic search area
-----

... Im not sure if its the way the heading has been written from the article - but I havent seen confirmed that a diver has gone into the cabin or checked under the boat as yet to see if the liferaft is attached.

Waiting for some further news to appear...

.

 

[FigTree]

Tomnod has their satellites up

http://www.tomnod.com/nod/challenge/cheekirafiki

.

 

[poppygirl]

so does this mean they'll keep searching? anyone know?

 

[Seajay]

I hope they know for sure the life raft is missing and that would indicate the crew is on it. But they need to keep looking for that life raft if they know it's out there. This crew has a great chance of being found alive.

 

[lucky181]

The life raft on the missing yacht Cheeki Rafiki has been found unused in its storage space, the US Coast Guard has said.

http://news.sky.com/story/1268050/life-raft-found-unused-aboard-missing-yacht

 

[Simply Caustic]

I questioned the FB poster and she said it's been verified by photos: that the families have been informed as well.

Via Kindle, like a true Amazon junkie

 

[Wondergirl]

I questioned the FB poster and she said it's been verified by photos: that the families have been informed as well.

Via Kindle, like a true Amazon junkie

Confirmation. :-(

http://www.uscgnews.com/go/doc/4007/2168318/

 

[Yoda]

. I'm glad they found the hull again. I'm sorry to hear the life raft was still in it. My thanks and admiration to the Coast Guard who took to heart the families' plea and relaunched the search.

 

[Seajay]

Awe. Dang. I was hoping the life raft wasn't there and was in use. No Bueno. I feel so bad for the families of the crew.