Family rescued from Oyster after hitting iceberg in South Atlantic

by Nancy Knudsen on 10 May 2010 In a rescue that showed again how important it was for minders to route teen sailors Jessica Watson and Abby Sunderland around the Horn in full summer, an English family of four have been rescued after their yacht hit an iceberg and sank in the south Atlantic.

The Falklands protection warship HMS Clyde sailed 200 miles to rescue them after their distress call was picked up thousands of miles away by the Falmouth coastguard in the UK.

Travelling late in the season, their yacht, Yacht Hollinsclough, a cutter rigged sloop by the well known yacht brand of Oyster, was in rough seas when they hit an infamous 'growler', an iceberg which sits almost undetectable, just beneath the surface of the water. By the time the rescue boat arrived, the family had deployed their life raft, but were waiting aboard their yacht, ready to abandon it when necessary.

The family is now en route to the Falklands aboard the Clyde, expected to complete the 1,000-mile journey by mid-week. However, their round-the-world dream voyage is over, with their 60ft yacht left to sink in the icy seas off South Georgia.

Carl Lomas and Tracey Worth with their teenage daughters Caitland and Margause, from Chelmerton in Derbyshire, had been sailing since they left Ipswich on the Hollinsclough in March 2007.

Their emergency signal was picked up by the Falmouth coastguard, relayed to the Falklands, and then on to HMS Clyde.

Marine Engineer Officer Lieutenant Robert Satterley told The Guardian they were relieved to see four people alive and well as they approached the sinking yacht.

'The yacht had sustained severe damage and lay low in the water, and it was clear the family had been through quite an ordeal. Unfortunately, nothing could be done to save the yacht, and we were just glad to get them back to the ship safely.'

They had sailed from South Georgia on 29th April, and were heading for the remote island of Tristan de Cunha on their way to Cape Town.

The brief grim news was recorded in their blog: '300 miles NE South Georgia, Ice convergence zone. 51.27.19 S 29.10.92W EPIRB alerted. Falmouth control aware, Royal Navy in support.'