Swedes in Australia yacht drama
The Local Sweden - [email protected]
Published: 4 Jan, 2006 CET.
Updated: Wed 4 Jan 2006 09:54 CET
Five sailors from Sweden and Finland were plucked from their disabled boat and returned to dry land Wednesday after capsizing in wild seas off southeastern Australia.
The five, on their way back to Sydney after competing in the Sydney to Hobart yacht race, were hit by heavy weather and capsized on Tuesday night in their 11.6 metre (37.3 foot) racer Savcor.
The boat righted itself but was disabled, and a freighter diverted to the scene on Wednesday to shelter the yacht from fierce winds until a police launch arrived.
The five were all suffering from exhaustion, sea sickness and hypothermia.
"It's very, very good to be here," the vessel's lone female sailor Mikaela Ahlback said on returning to land, adding that she did not have time to be scared during her 13-hour ordeal.
"I'm never coming sailing in Australia again," she said.
AFP
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The five, on their way back to Sydney after competing in the Sydney to Hobart yacht race, were hit by heavy weather and capsized on Tuesday night in their 11.6 metre (37.3 foot) racer Savcor.
The boat righted itself but was disabled, and a freighter diverted to the scene on Wednesday to shelter the yacht from fierce winds until a police launch arrived.
The five were all suffering from exhaustion, sea sickness and hypothermia.
"It's very, very good to be here," the vessel's lone female sailor Mikaela Ahlback said on returning to land, adding that she did not have time to be scared during her 13-hour ordeal.
"I'm never coming sailing in Australia again," she said.
AFP
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