Missing yacht

[Jet In Vitro]

In the past we deployed Nimrod and tankers to Lajes and Ascension to conduct SAR.

Currently long range SAR is covered off by C130 and other inappropriate aircraft.

It would be good to have a choice of wether to continue the search.

[Wensleydale]

"It would be good to have a choice of wether to continue the search"

Not wishing to impinge upon the seriousness of the situation, but does the quote above from JiV's post contain a bad spell of weather?

[Loerie]

Missing Beneteau 40.7

Looking through the posts.....someone said she was about 600 nm from the US East Coast....and others are talking about making for the Azores;does anyone perhaps have the Lat and Lon?
Thanks---sorry if I missed the info if already posted.

[500N]

Not sure where the thread has gone but it was listed in another
thread about the missing yacht and keeping an eye out when
flying over the position.

I think the thread might have been deleted.

Still looking.


EDIT
Can't find it anywhere !

[fincastle84]

Surely they could try again. After all just consider the time, effort & cost which went into the search for the Malaysian Airlines flight, where the search area was the whole Indian Ocean!!

[Fox3WheresMyBanana]

38 34' N, 48 15' W I think. Still 20 kts+ out there, poor vis.

[Dengue_Dude]

Probably a crew of Lib-Dems . . .

Sorry.

Whether or not 'our' loss of MPA assets is relevant in this particular case, I've no idea.

When you consider how it would have helped in ANY S&R scenario and in operations such has the Horn of Africa pirate patrols etc, it makes you realise how far we have fallen.

We, as a nation, still expect OUR ships and our personnel to be safe - who is SUPPOSED to do that?

[NutLoose]

I must admit I was surprised it had been called off without inspecting the hull, especially bearing in mind that dramatic racing accidents where the people have survived in upturned hulls


Eg

Sail-World.com : Stamm rescued from upturned Hull

VARIOUS: BRITISH SOLO SAILOR TONY BULLIMORE RESCUED

One would have thought they would first check that before calling it off..... Bring back flying boats for SAR

[Top Bunk Tester]

Although now idle speculation, my money would be that a long range SAR/MPA aircraft WOULD have been deployed by now regardless of what had happened in the past. I believe if we had the assets and the government refused to send then the backlash would have been severe. It will be interesting to see if the press pick up on this and run with it.

[Lonewolf_50]

Can someone explain to me the assumption that the hull was not "inspected" by whatever aircraft flew by? If you fly by the hull and there are not bodies visible, just what do you expect to find? At this range, my estimation is that you are asking a fixed wing aircraft to "inspect the hull" as it flies over it.

If there is no evidence of bodies on/near the overturned hull, just what is it you think is to be found?

Please advise.

One would have thought they would first check that before calling it off.

Checked for ... how? Send a ship out there? Is that your request?

[500N]

Lone

Yes, send a ship out there.

Only way to find out if someone inside, dead or alive.

And we know people can survive alive inside for days.

[Lonewolf_50]

Thanks.

By all means, ring the USCG and suggest same.

[Loerie]

Missing Beneteau 40.7 yacht and crew

Thanks very much;I looked up the position on Bouyweather as I have no Chart here at home.The Yacht appears to have been in the "normal" route area following the breeze east to the Azores.The weather in that area is quite good right now....15-20 close with a moderate sea and fair viz.I would think that the position is attainable with equipment out of Bermuda?The normal drift of a raft would have been with the prevailing Trades?Rafts are not much affected by currents when there is a decent wind.Interesting to hear that another Beneteau---a 51.5 was lost in that approx area very recently....will be interesting to see what happens.What a shocking situation to be in for the crew....trophys in Antigua and now this.....terrible.

[Loerie]

Possible Capsized Beneteau 40.7

Lonewolf,
I think your reply is unfeeling and quite unnecessary (sp)
If there is the tiniest chance that there is life in that upturned hull or in a drifting raft every effort should be made to ensure so one way or the other?I respect the number of posting you have made on this forum but maybe you need to erase your last one.Its up to the USCG to consider extending their time in the air or at sea.I see there are thousands of folks who are asking for a longer or resumed search for the crew and a short two-day search does seem to be short in view of quite normal survival times in liferafts which exceed several days,weeks and months?I am not an aviator but feel for lost aircrew and passengers equally with seaman.Dismissal is not really an option as you seem to support.Regards.....and I am sure the right decision will be made soon.

[RHKAAF]

Longrange SAR

I did SAR flights out of HongKong for seventeen years and we would never have given up the search after a few days. Admittedly the decision in HongKong was in the hands of the Marine Department and they were responsible for diverting ships in the area to locate any survivors. The weather was often atrocious in typhoon conditions but we persevered while there was still an outside chance of locating survivors. Do the US Coastguard have access to any naval vessels capable of reaching and searching the area ? If not, a request to the US Navy for assistance could be made.

[Loerie]

Missing Beneteau 40.7 yacht and crew

If you look at Passageweather or Bouyweather and type in & scroll the co-ords,the position is not all that far (by airtime) from Bermuda?
I would think there must be assets in Bermuda which quite often has to help Mariners?
Seems to be North and East of Bermuda which is normal for Yachtsmen going back to the Med.
Lets hope that they will keep looking,calculating drift and currents as the wind dies.....which is forecaste.Thanks guys.

[500N]

Lonewolf

Why would you not expect a ship to be sent out there ?

An aircraft can do a fly by of the hull but surely the only way to check
if anyone is inside is to get someone to it ?

[Wrathmonk]

Do such sailors (i.e trans-atlantic, round the world etc) carry personal liability insurance in order to cover the costs of such search and rescue operations which could

exceed several days,weeks and months

If they don't should they (particularly in these times of 'shrinking' funds available to the military (of most nations) to undertake its primary roles)? At the end of the day someone has to foot the bill (in most cases the taxpayer). And however harsh it may sound I bet a commercial organisation is not going to want its ships diverted far from its route - perhaps a one time pass through the area but I bet they don't undertake any sort of formal search pattern (without significant compensation from .....the taxpayer???). Time is money after all....

Or is it a case of the cost is too much to the individual therefore no one would take the cover and the outrage bus would have to be fired up everytime a search is abandoned as a 'missing, presumed dead'.

Of course the same question of insurance could be asked of any of the hazardous hobbies/occupations on offer.....

[Lonewolf_50]

Loerie
I am pretty sure that the USCG knows their own limits better than I. Hence, my suggestion to contact the USCG and find out. I was not being flippant.

500N

Why would you not expect a ship to be sent out there?

As it is beyond the coastal area, and it is a pleasure craft, there may be some operational limitations in place, from the administrative side. A decade ago, I'd be surprised if we didn't send a ship out into the open ocean for a look see, given that the location was confirmed. Now, I am not surprised when such things don't happen.

An aircraft can do a fly by of the hull but surely the only way to check if anyone is inside is to get someone to it ?

That was more or less my point.

RHKAAF

I did SAR flights out of HongKong for seventeen years and we would never have given up the search after a few days.

Welcome to the year 2014.

Do the US Coastguard have access to any naval vessels capable of reaching and searching the area ?

The US Coast Guard have ships amply suited to open ocean operations. Cutters.

If not, a request to the US Navy for assistance could be made.

By whom?
If the Coast Guard are constrained from going by what I suspect is something on the rules side, what makes you think they'd ask the Navy to divert assets there?
Welcome to the year 2014.

Let's look at the political spin if you send a ship out there, or ask the US Navy to go out there:

"They are sending our taxpayer's assets out there to go look for some rich fellow's play toy."

Whether that is true or not, that is the poisonous political environment in which we live in this country. This in turn has an influence on what use is made of public assets.

Hate to break that news to you, but

Welcome to the year 2014.

[Loerie]

Missing Beneteau 40.7 yacht and crew

Many of us do carry added Insurance at sea,but not all do.Rescue services will pin the costs on the Mariner or their Employer but many cannot pay or do not have the ability to pay.Most Ocean Skippers are paid a measly $2.00 per mile and crew get nothing.I wonder what contribution passenger Underwriters make to passengers of Aircraft lost to be searched for?Or is this just for Hull?
Yours is an interesting question,but how do you equate human life and suffering waiting for rescue to USD or Euro`s etc spent?
I think such rescue is Priceless.....a real difficult decision for the Searchers.