Breaking News- US Coastguard finds liferaft still on Cheeki Rafiki
by Sail-world.com on 24 May 2014
Cheeki Rafiki - keel missing US Navy
The U.S. Coast Guard has confirmed the life raft aboard the capsized sailing vessel Cheeki Rafiki was secured in its storage space in the aft portion of the boat, Friday, indicating it was not used for emergency purposes.
A U.S. Navy warship smallboat crew and surface swimmer captured underwater imagery clearly identifying the raft in its storage space. The image was shared with and acknowledged by the families.
The crew and swimmer deployed to investigate the overturned boat after a helicopter crew located it 1,000 miles offshore Massachusetts and within the U.S. Coast Guard's search area.
The Navy surface swimmer determined the boat's cabin was flooded and windows were shattered, contributing to the complete flooding inside.
The U.S. Coast Guard made an announcement, Thursday, that search operations would be suspended at midnight, Friday, unless new information or sightings suggested the crew would still be alive.
None of the current developments indicate that to be the case.
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