NSW: Two men rescued from rough seas east of Sydney

AAP General News (Australia)
04-24-1999
NSW: Two men rescued from rough seas east of Sydney

By Karen Michelmore

SYDNEY, April 24 AAP - Two ocean racers were rescued from a life raft in mountainous seas
east of Sydney this morning.

The Australian Search and Rescue Coordination Centre (AusSAR), in Canberra, said the men
were participants in the Osaka ocean yacht race from Melbourne to Osaka when they got into
trouble yesterday.

The men, crew of New Zealand yacht Green Hornet, were picked up by navy patrol frigate HMAS
Warrnambool 250km east of Sydney at 8am (AEST), spokesman David Gray said.

Mr Gray said the two crew of the 11-metre yacht yesterday advised that it was pulling out
of the race and heading for Sydney with co-skipper Gordon Mann suffering a badly bruised arm.

At the time the yacht was 240km east of Sydney.

Later in the day, the crew lost radio communications with the race organisers, Sandringham
Yacht Club, he said.

A French communications company which tracks yachts, Argos Communications, last night
advised AusSAR the crew had put out a distress signal, he said.

Two AusSAR aircraft and a navy patrol searched through the night without success.

Early this morning a Wollongong airplane spotted the liferaft.

Mr Gray said HMAS Warrnambool "battled 40 knot winds and eight metre mountainous seas" to
pick up the two men.

"Both men appear to be in a stable condition. One man has a badly bruised arm and cuts to
is forehead," Mr Gray said.

The men are expected to arrive in Sydney, on board the navy ship, later today.

The rest of the 20-boat fleet in the Osaka race has also been battered by rough seas and
40-50 knot winds as it sails up the east coast of Australia.

At least six yachts have been forced to head into ports in New South Wales and Queensland
since sailing from Port Phillip last Sunday.

AAP trm

KEYWORD: YACHT OSAKA RESCUE

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