Sailors saved from sinking yacht
2011-03-25 13:05
Cape Town - The crew of the Spirit of Izivunguvungu have been rescued after
the yacht was damaged during the Cape to Rio race, the City of Cape Town said
on Friday.
"The City received the good news [on Thursday evening] that the crew
had been located just north of Tristan da Cunha in the South Atlantic ocean
after a cargo ship was diverted from its course to intercept it," said
city councillor Brett Herron.
"The yacht was badly damaged by a storm... it lost its mast, had a
broken rudder, and there was a hole in the hull. The engine stopped working and
the tracking device stopped working."
The four-man crew were one of two development teams made of sailors from
Cape Town townships, sponsored by the city.
The crew members are in their twenties and this was their first
international sailing trip.
They are due to arrive back in Cape Town next week.
Herron said the yacht lost telephone contact on Sunday and lost tracking
contact two days later which prompted the decision to send out an 'all ships
alert' message.
The yacht was left to sink.
- SAPA
