Open arms for survivors of sunken yacht

Three sailors who nearly lost their lives at sea have been given a warm welcome by Bermuda’s maritime community.

British couple Leonard and Lisa Rorke, together with Belgian crewman Henri Worthalter and the couple’s dog, were plucked to safety by a passing tanker after their yacht sank. They were brought into Bermuda on Monday.

The trio, along with the dog, are now being looked after at the Bermuda Sailor’s Home in Hamilton,  who have provided them with free board, supplies and even dog food for Dexter the Jack Russell.

Howard Pitcher, chairman of the board at the Bermuda Sailor’s Home, told the Sun: “They all seem to be doing well.

“They are all keen to get messages home and let family know they are ok.

“They are all extremely grateful for the welcome they have received here — people have given them clothes, and all the authorities waived their usual fees when they arrived on the island too. 

“Everyone has come together to help these guys.

“Our mission is generally to help professional seaman in need, but in these circumstances we are more than happy to help in any way we can.”

The three sailors arrived in Bermuda on Monday evening aboard the tanker Tilda Kosan. 

They spent their first night at the Coco Beach Hotel before moving to the Sailors Home yesterday.

Mr Worthalter is hoping to leave the island on Thursday, while the Rorke’s are making plans to head back to the UK later this week. 

Mr Pitcher added: “It’s been impressive to see the way everyone has come together to help.

“They literally arrived in Bermuda with nothing, so people have helped them pay for taxis, given them clothes and made all sorts of little gestures.”

The rescue of the three sailors from the Atlantic last week has made headlines across the globe.

They had been sailing their yacht, Blue Pearl, across the Azores when the vessel was sunk in a storm.

They remained in their lifeboat while the US Coastguard coordinated a major rescue operation that culminated on Friday with all three sailors and the dog being hauled aboard the tanker Tilda Kosan.

In the recording of the rescue’s debriefing, Mr Rorke is reported to have said: ‘We were bailing water. It was life and death. We’re very grateful. We are very, very lucky.”

Petty Officer 1st Class James Hines, a search and rescue controller at the 5th District Command Center, said: “The presence and proper activation of the emergency position indication radio beacon was instrumental in saving the crew members of the Blue Pearl. This stresses the importance of a properly registered EPIRB, which provided us with an emergency point of contact and information on the boat.”