Injured Australians rescued from Southern Ocean
by Rob Kothe on 3 May 2007
SA Agulhas SW
The search for an Australian sailor missing in the Southern Ocean will resume this morning, after South African rescuers successfully plucked his injured shipmates from the dismasted Swan 57 Cowrie Dancer.
John Blackman, 55, from Claremont in Perth was washed overboard by a large wave that swept over the Cowrie Dancer in storm conditions 750 nautical miles south-east of Durban on Monday.
South African Maritime Search and Rescue officer Jacques Smit reported two injured crew, West Australians Nicholas Lawson, who had suffered a broken pelvis and skipper Dale Peterson, who had head injuries have been hospitalised aboard the Antartic research vessel SA Agulhas. A third crew member of the Perth yacht , South African mechanical engineer Carol Erasmus, was reported uninjured.
'I can confirm that all of the three crew have been safely transferred to the SA Agulhas and the yacht has been abandoned,' said Smit, after the rescue was completed at 3.25am AEST.
SA Agulhas deployed helicopter two hours before she reached the Cowrie Dancer and the helicpters began a Search for the helmsman John Blackman, 55 of Clarmont Perth, but were unable to find him. It is believed they will return tomorrow morning at first light to the position where the third Australian went missing and continue the search.
Smit said he believed no decision had been taken on whether the Swan 57 yacht could be salvaged. 'I think that is between the owners and their insurance company,' he said.
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