Australian yacht hit by container ship

by Lisa Miller on 3 Jul 2004 An Australian couple's dream cruise ended in terror and near tragedy when their yacht was run down by a container ship.

John and Kelly Hallows, two Australians from the Hay district in south-western New South Wales were sailing their yacht between Chile and the Marquesis Islands when disaster struck.

The voyage was taking longer than expected and John had run out of critical medication.

They radioed for help and a Greek container ship rushed to the scene with aid, but as it arrived it collided with the yacht.

The ship then sailed away, apparently unaware of the massive damage that had been inflicted.

For the next two days the couple battled seasickness, dehydration and injuries as their badly damaged yacht pitched in the rough open waters of the South Pacific, midway between Chile and Tahiti.


Their yacht was taking on water and their antennae was down, making any communication with searchers impossible.


But thanks to an extraordinary rescue effort co-ordinated by ham radio enthusiasts in four countries, the former Sydney couple are now safe and in the care of the French Navy.


Their rescue vessel was due to dock in the Marquesas Islands in French Polynesia last night after the rescue in the early hours of yesterday morning.


Ms Hallows' father Brian Hamill said yesterday his 29-year-old daughter was in good spirits when he spoke to her in the hours after the dramatic rescue.


The adventurous couple had been sailing from Mexico to Australia after four years living in London and travelling widely.

Mr Hallows urgently needed more medication for a health condition, believed to be a brain tumour suffered several years ago, and the couple sent out a radio alarm asking for help, Mr Hamill said.


During the collision Ms Hallows was pinned to the deck under a section of the broken mast as her husband lay ill.


'It was really an international [rescue] effort and so many people went out of their way to help Kelly and John and make sure we were kept fully informed at every step,' Mr Hamill said.


Mr Hamill, his wife Jan and two other daughters must now wait until Ms Hallows receives a medical examination before the full extent of her injuries becomes clear.