Skipper overboard and novice sailor adrift three days

by BW Media roundup on 30 Aug 2009 A New Zealand man who had never sailed before he agreed to be crew on a 40ft yacht has been rescued after the British skipper of the yacht he was travelling on fell overboard and was lost in the South Pacific.

Alexander McDonald, 65, from Canterbury, agreed to join Briton David Parkinson, whom he'd met in the Cook Islands, on board his 40ft yacht Santana on a trip from Rarotonga to Nuku'alofa. They left for Nuie on the 6th August.

On August 20, he woke up after his 'off-watch' period around 6.00pm to find the skipper missing, obviously having fallen overboard.

McDonald, who knew almost nothing about the operations of the sailing boat tried to search for the British man, going round in ever-decreasing circles for just over three days. He finally worked out how to set off the emergency beacon, the signal was detected in the United Kingdom, and he was eventually picked up by the Tonga Defence Service.

The skipper David Parkinson had suffered from Parkinson's disease, but was an extremely experienced yachtsman, and set off to sail around the world after an experimental operation. Surgeons had implanted a pacemaker in Parkinson's chest which sent electrical impulses to electrodes in his brain. The reason why he fell off his yacht will remain a mystery.

Parkinson was a former British Royal Marine whose adventures inspired a Hollywood film, Proof of Life, starring Russell Crowe and Meg Ryan. An aerial search found no sign of the missing skipper.

Parkinson's brother Chris, who lives in the United States, said in an email: 'No body and I doubt there'll be one. God knows, I hope his passing was quick and painless - though I doubt it was peaceful.'

He believed McDonald had weathered a storm since becoming adrift, having received a message from officials saying: 'The engine was broken and the sails were broken.'

Friend of 20 years Michael Lewis, said his friend sought solace in the sea. 'He comes alive when he is at the helm ... He was obviously an adventurous soul. He was bound and determined to complete his around the world journey despite the limitations that the disease was having on him.'

The rescued man, Alexander McDonald, has spent some time assisting the Tongan police with their enquiries, and is reported to be in good health. Tongan police chief Chris Kelley said Parkinson's yacht, Santana, was to remain under guard at Nuku'alofa harbour until the police investigation was complete.