ATLANTIC ROWERS RESCUED FROM LIFE RAFT

At yesterday, Falmouth Coastguard received an alert from an emergency locator beacon in the Atlantic and coordinated the rescue of two rowers from a life raft.

Falmouth Coastguard received the alert from 480 miles south west of the Canary Islands from the UK registered beacon belonging to the Atlantic Challenge rowing boat PS Vita. The race organisers also confirmed that they had lost polling contact with PS Vita just after . 

Falmouth Coastguard broadcast an alert to all vessels in the area but the nearest vessel which could provide assistance was the Bahamian registered cruise ship Crystal Serenity approximately 120 miles from the location of the alert.

The Crystal Serenity turned back and proceeded at speed through the night to the position and within seven miles of the position they spotted a red flare.  Shortly afterwards at about 6am they located the two rowers in their life raft who were recovered on board the cruise ship. 

The rowers are a Dutch and a British National. The PS Vita is a 7.3 metre ocean rowing vessel with two people onboard taking part in a Woodvale Trans-Atlantic challenge from the Canary Islands to Barbados.  The two rowers are reported to be uninjured despite at least ten hours in their life raft. Conditions on scene were 25 knots wind with a three metre swell.




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