Chicago Yacht Club statement on the recovery of sailor Jon Santarelli
by Laura Muma 29 Jul 2018 04:04 PDT
Sadly the Chicago Yacht Club is able to confirm that the body of Jon Santarelli, a sailor competing in Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac, has been recovered after falling overboard last Saturday.
Our hearts and prayers go out to the Santarelli family, his friends, and the entire sailing community. We ask that media respect their privacy as they mourn in this very difficult time.
"On behalf of the Chicago Yacht Club, the Race to Mackinac, and all competitors as well as the entire sailing community, I'd like to express our deepest condolences to the Santarelli family," said Chicago Yacht Club Rear Commodore Nick Berberian.
"Now that Jon has been recovered, a full investigation can take place including an analysis of the PFD (personal flotation device) he was wearing at the time of the incident."
We will continue to update competitors and the boating public as we know more details. Thank you to everyone who has assisted in this ongoing process.