A couple from Cornwall have been rescued from their 39-foot yacht Brilliance in the remote South Atlantic, after the distress signal from their Epirb was picked up by Falmouth Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre - “just down the road” from their base.
The yacht, crewed by Mike and Iris Clelford, was on passage from South Georgia to Cape Town when its mast was damaged in bad weather and it was left adrift 500 miles South West of Tristan Da Cunha and 800 miles from South Georgia.
The South Georgia Island newsletter reports that the Clelfords were having problems with their mast before leaving the island:
“The private yacht Brilliance arrived after a lengthy trip from the Falklands of 12 days. Much of the journey was under reduced sail as a mast stay had broken. They managed to save the mast by making a temporary repair at sea. Whilst alongside at Grytviken they suffered further damage when strong winds battered them against the jetty, breaking the stanchions down one side. The next day they discovered their self-steering equipment was broken. The couple aboard intended to stay just three days in South Georgia and did well to achieve repairs and leave after just eight days following all their misfortunes.”
After receiving the Epirb signal, Falmouth MRCC established e-mail contact with the couple and established that they were both safe and well and had a liferaft on standby for evacuation if necessary.
The South Korean bulk carrier Pan Voyager rescued them from the yacht yesterday evening. The yacht was abandoned.
Falmouth MRCC also kept in contact with the yacht owner's elderly mother and after the rescue arranged a telephone link-up between mother and son.
Falmouth MRCC Watch Manager James Instance said: “We are pleased to report that the male and female aboard the yacht Brilliance have now been rescued into the vessel Pan Voyager and are bound for Columbo, Sri Lanka, with an expected arrival date of March 7.
“We were amazed to receive a distress call from a couple adrift in the South Atlantic, who are indeed locals and own a café just a short walk from our Coastguard Station, and are glad to bring this incident to a successful conclusion with both casualties safe and well.”
The couple own the Castle Beach Cafe in Falmouth. Mr Clelford had been in the Merchant Navy and the coastguard spokesman said it was fortunate they were both experienced sailors and had good equipment.
“They run the cafe all summer and then take off in the winter,” said a friend.
