Yacht "Bright" missing between Azores and Gibraltar.

[44'cruisingcat]

https://m.facebook.com/groups/165878...05919236091184

Sorry for the facebook link.

Basically a Beneteau 47 set off an EPIRB on May 2nd, about 300 miles East of the Azores.

Searches have found some floating debris, but not the liferaft.

Two crew remain missing.

[JPA Cate]

Wow, really sorry to see this.

To your knowledge, did the debris give a clue as to what happened?

Ann

[capitangiorg]

The Portuguese Coast guard stated that there is no evidence that the debris belong to the s/y Bright.
Unfortunately yesterday the SAR was called out.
After some pressure from the italian sailing community an Italian Navy was sent to the area to start the search over. It is expected to be there in less than 2 days.

[44'cruisingcat]

Originally Posted by JPA Cate

Wow, really sorry to see this.

To your knowledge, did the debris give a clue as to what happened?

Ann

Sorry Ann, I only know what was on the facebook post.

Just thought I'd post it here in the off chance some members might be traveling in the area.

[ZULU40]

Originally Posted by capitangiorg

The Portuguese Coast guard stated that there is no evidence that the debris belong to the s/y Bright.
Unfortunately yesterday the SAR was called out.
After some pressure from the italian sailing community an Italian Navy was sent to the area to start the search over. It is expected to be there in less than 2 days.

its a good idea to write your vessels name on things that might eventually be debris. Things like the boats PFDs (I have 11 !) inflatable, horseshoe buoy, danbuoy. I keep thinking I must do this but, ehh boats and stuff to do ..

[boatman61]

Sad news.. don't know what the weather conditions there were at the time but it has been stormier than a long time this year.

[techmans]

Found this:
2 yachtsmen missing in Atlantic

Picture does not seem related to incident.

[travellerw]

This has been posted on all the Facebook groups...

This one has me worried.. They have an epirb, but it appears no pings in a couple of days.

I'm really hoping for a good outcome on this.

[JPA Cate]

Lets just hope that their comms are down. We know landlubbers are quick to report you overdue. It IS worrisome.

Ann

[Dody]

Couldn't get the FB-Link till I logged into Cruisers Forum, so missed some of this info - reason why I deleted my earlier post.

What I don't understand is: the moment the Epirb kicks off and it's identity is confirmed, this information turns up on NAVTEX to inform all ships. Strange enough I can't find it on Navtex. And even stranger: as the Portuguese are involved in the search, something for sure would be mentioned in the official news. But again, only things I can find are in the Italian News. It can't be that this is an inofficial search, can it?

It's roundabout 1000 Miles from Sao Miguel to Gibraltar, so in terms of time they are not really overdue yet. There could also have been an accident in the form that the Epirb was set off accidentally and stopped after the second signal was sent. Together with the possibility of the comms going down caused by electrics, maybe, hopefully, not all is lost yet.

Fair winds
Dody

PS: here is what I found so far: https://fidest.wordpress.com/2018/05...azione-bright/
https://farevela.net/2018/05/06/camp...sul-naufragio/
and: https://www.ilmessaggero.it/primopia...8-3713673.html

[Dody]

OK, there is more coverage in the news of the Azores and the Canary Islands, all of the 4th of May:

https://www.azorestoday.com/2018/05/...go-dos-acores/
https://www.rtp.pt/acores/sociedade/...s-acores_57719
Buscan a los tripulantes de un velero que atracó en Gran Canaria cuando hacía la ruta entre Italia y el Caribe

[boatman61]

So.. its a water activated EPIRB that was set off.. lets hope this is not another Beneteau First keel failure.. echo's off Cheeky Rafiki..

[Dody]

Originally Posted by boatman61

So.. its a water activated EPIRB that was set off.. lets hope this is not another Beneteau First keel failure.. echo's off Cheeky Rafiki..

As far as I know all Epirbs activate automatically in contact with water. But also, all Epirbs can be activated manually - and be de-activated. The signal it emits is in both cases the same.

I don't even want to think about it, but just a few months ago we lost a fishing-vessel here on this coast. The crew didn't have the time to issue a Mayday. What started the search was the distress signal of the Epirb, which was sending only twice. Although they located the wreck at the bottom of the sea, the captain and owner was never found but the liferaft and the bodies of the 3 fishermen on the surface. It was suspected that the net caught on something under water.

Dody

[travellerw]

Originally Posted by Dody

As far as I know all Epirbs activate automatically in contact with water. But also, all Epirbs can be activated manually - and be de-activated. The signal it emits is in both cases the same.

I don't even want to think about it, but just a few months ago we lost a fishing-vessel here on this coast. The crew didn't have the time to issue a Mayday. What started the search was the distress signal of the Epirb, which was sending only twice. Although they located the wreck at the bottom of the sea, the captain and owner was never found but the liferaft and the bodies of the 3 fishermen on the surface. It was suspected that the net caught on something under water.

Dody

That is NOT correct.. MANY EPIRBS are not water activated. We have one on our boat that is not water activated.

[a64pilot]

I thought all “modern” EPIRBs were water activated as well as manual.
Type 1 won’t automatically deploy, but Type 2 will when submerged below a set depth?
http://www.epirb.com/auto_or_manual_EPIRB.php

PLBs I don’t think will auto activate when placed in water, or float for that matter?