MONDAY, JUNE 18: A sailor in the Newport Bermuda Race had to be evacuated to a cruise ship because of dehydration.
John Osmond, chairman of the 2012 Newport Bermuda Race, said around 3am on Monday Nathan C. Owen from Norwell, Massachusetts, was reported to be suffering from complications from dehydration,
He was transferred from his 46-foot sloop ‘Seabiscuit’ to the Royal Caribbean cruise ship ‘Enchantment of the Seas’.
The rescue occurred 200 miles northwest of Bermuda in rough seas.
Enchantment of the Seas was en route from Bermuda to Boston, Massachusetts, when officials at Bermuda’s Rescue Coordination Centre contacted the captain and requested that the ship be diverted to evacuate and treat Owen.
The transfer followed several hours of efforts by the race’s organizers and its medical advisor, by the Rescue Coordination Centre, and by several competitors in the race to provide Owen with medical treatment and then to evacuate him from ‘Seabiscuit’.
Newport Bermuda Race public relations officer Talbot Wilson said "Owen in recovering nicely".
Other vessels in the Newport Bermuda Race showed great sportsmanship by putting the rescue effort first rather than pushing on to the finish line.
As instructed by Bermuda Rescue Coordination Centre (RCC) at 11:30PM Sunday, Spirit Of Bermuda was diverted and turned back to render assistance, but were some 75 miles ahead of Seabiscuit.
The 46' racing yacht Flying Lady was closer and made a rendezvous with Seabiscuit and stood by for assistance and for the evacuation.
The evacuation was accomplished before Spirit reached Seabiscuit's position and Spirit was released to continue to Bermuda.