Marine Rescue Wooli in search for missing yachtsman

by Ken McManus on 13 Jan 2011 Marine Rescue Wooli on the NSW North Coast played a critical role in the search for a missing yachtsman reported lost overboard by his partner from their stricken yacht late on Tuesday night. A Mayday call from the yacht Del Segno, was received by Marine Rescue Wooli Search & Rescue Manager Richard Taffs and SAR Officer Jackie Taffs, who initiated assistance for the vessel and the missing yachtsman.

Horrendous conditions offshore meant that rescue vessels from Iluka Yamba, Wooli and Woolgoolga were unable to be activated. The Police launch Fearless from Coffs Harbour was tasked to the area to assist Del Segno.

The missing yachtsman’s partner and her dog were the sole remaining occupants aboard Del Segno but the distraught woman had little knowledge of the workings of the vessel and its equipment. The Marine Rescue Wooli radio operator patiently led her through a number of important tasks – the primary one being to slow the vessel by taking down the sail. Whilst being able to achieve this, she was unable to turn the vessel around. The motor had suffered a failure earlier that day leaving the vessel adrift and moving slowly to the south-west away from the man overboard. MR Wooli search coordinators did a marvellous job keeping her calm and focussed on the tasks given.

MR Wooli operator talked the woman through the activation of an onboard EPIRB and she was able to activate the hand-held GPS to give the search coordinators regular Latitude and Longitude updates over the ensuing 4 hours wait for Fearless to push its way through heavy seas to her position. This Lat/Long information, along with sea and wind conditions reports from the vessel, was critical to enabling Marine Area Command SAR in Sydney and Australian Maritime Safety Authority SAR personnel in Canberra to plot a possible drift line for the missing yachtsman. It also allowed the SAR personnel at MR Wooli keep a constant track of the yacht.

An All Ships May Day Relay call resulted in the merchant vessel Justice Vitoria responding and changing course to the search area. MAC Sydney called on resources from AMSA with a Dornier (Rescue 431) fixed wing aircraft from Melbourne being dispatched to the search area. Its primary tasks were to drop datum buoys, and use its FLIR capabilities to try and locate the missing yachtsman.

Fearless reached the drifting yacht but with conditions being too dangerous to take anyone off the vessel, or to put a crew member on board, it was left to the woman on board to bravely venture onto the bow of the pitching yacht to receive and secure the tow line from Fearless. With the task completed Del Segno was taken in tow for the 5hr voyage back to Coffs Harbour during which the line parted once resulting in it having to be secured again.

MRNSW Units at Wooli and Woolgoolga were put on standby for early morning deployment in case conditions improved. The Westpac Rescue Helicopter from Lismore was dispatched at first light and was able to locate the body of the missing yachtsman who unfortunately had not survived.