There was another rescue drama South West of Scilly today when a Guernsey registered Yacht carrying seven crewmembers lost her mast and sent out a distress signal.
The mast was detached and the vessel reportedly holed about 450 miles Southwest of Scilly when it’s EPIRB emergency beacon was picked up by coastguards. Two merchant vessels were immediately diverted to the area to assist the stricken craft which was having difficulty in the force 9 conditions and heavy seas.
Later, after an assessment of casualties, two long range American rescue Helicopters were dispatched from their RAF base in Suffolk. A Hercules refuelling tanker and a Nimrod from Kinloss in Scotland were also dispatched to assist. Two of the more badly injured crew were airlifted off the vessel and taken to RAF St. Mawgan, near Newquay.
Over the duration of the rescue, the helicopters had to be refuelled ?mid-air? six times which proved exhausting for the rescue crews. The yacht was ?pitching and yawing? to the extent that it was near impossible for the rescuers to climb on board. One helicopter was forced to turn back after a fault in the winch system.
The Yacht ‘Persauder? is making her own way to Falmouth with the five remaining crewmembers under escort. The two injured crew landed at St. Mawgan where they were diagnosed with broken ribs and internal injuries, they were later transferred to RCH Treliske in Truro.