British Yacht Sinks in Portugal

[boatman61]

A sad reminder of the dangers of the Portuguese harbours on the Atlantic coast... the bulk of which are at river mouths... the harbour was closed with signals hoisted... but they still had a go... needless waste of lives... the below is a rough translation...

An English yacht with three crew members sank in the early hours today at the entrance to the port of Povoa de Varzim, which was closed. There are two missing.

During the night the port was closed due to bad weather (Nelson Garrido / file)



The ship came from England, made a stopover in Vigo and this afternoon was a crew change at the Marina da Póvoa. However, at about 3:30 in the morning there was a mayday call when the boat tried to enter the fishing port of Povoa, which is located within the marina.

By this time, "a wave of the sea" turned the vessel, according to the commander of the port office, Silva Rocha. One of the crew, aged 24, managed to swim to the north jetty of the port, which was later rescued by the INEM (National Institute for Medical Emergencies). He was hypothermic and was taken to the hospital Povoa, but out of danger.

It was this crew that gave indication that two more were on board with a 53 or 54 years and another aged 23, and would have the lifejacket worn. The three are British.

These other two crew members still missing, and there are ongoing searches at sea with boats of the Shipwreck Rescue Institute (NSI), and with a helicopter of the National Service of Civil Protection.

The bar was closed Póvoa since last night due to rough seas. There were signs at the entrance to the harbor and also warnings by radio every hour.

The vessel turned around at sea, dragged to the south pier of the port where the boat rested on the rocks for protection, largely destroyed.

[Dockhead]

Horrible. Someone recently posted here that a yacht is always safer where there is no land.

That situation sounds like this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBsA3wa5OGE

It's hard to tell from the mechanical translation, but it sounds like he broached and went on the rocks. Just horrible.

[Ram]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

Horrible. Someone recently posted here that a yacht is always safer where there is no land.

That situation sounds like this:

It's hard to tell from the mechanical translation, but it sounds like he broached and went on the rocks. Just horrible.

Wow no way in hell i would have tried that! I thought I entered almost every port in Portugal, but i dont remember that one!

[GordMay]

From The Associated Press ➥ The Canadian Press: 2 British yachtsmen missing after their boat was hit by wave off northwest Portugal

FWIW: Svaneke Havn is in Denmark.

[perchance]

Originally Posted by boatman61

A sad reminder of the dangers of the Portuguese harbours on the Atlantic coast... the bulk of which are at river mouths... the harbour was closed with signals hoisted... but they still had a go... needless waste of lives... the below is a rough translation...

An English yacht with three crew members sank in the early hours today at the entrance to the port of Povoa de Varzim, which was closed. There are two missing.

During the night the port was closed due to bad weather (Nelson Garrido / file)



The ship came from England, made a stopover in Vigo and this afternoon was a crew change at the Marina da Póvoa. However, at about 3:30 in the morning there was a mayday call when the boat tried to enter the fishing port of Povoa, which is located within the marina.

By this time, "a wave of the sea" turned the vessel, according to the commander of the port office, Silva Rocha. One of the crew, aged 24, managed to swim to the north jetty of the port, which was later rescued by the INEM (National Institute for Medical Emergencies). He was hypothermic and was taken to the hospital Povoa, but out of danger.

It was this crew that gave indication that two more were on board with a 53 or 54 years and another aged 23, and would have the lifejacket worn. The three are British.

These other two crew members still missing, and there are ongoing searches at sea with boats of the Shipwreck Rescue Institute (NSI), and with a helicopter of the National Service of Civil Protection.

The bar was closed Póvoa since last night due to rough seas. There were signs at the entrance to the harbor and also warnings by radio every hour.

The vessel turned around at sea, dragged to the south pier of the port where the boat rested on the rocks for protection, largely destroyed.

Having watched the series of educational videos of bar crossings in New Zealand I can see how easiliy they may have been over powered by the forces involved. Why they would have chanced such a dangerous crossing defies logic given that plenty of warnings were given and the fact that the harbour was closed.
Anyone who thinks crossing a bar in adverse conditions is a cake walk should watch the videos on youtube. I know it made me pucker.

[simonmd]

Such a shame, our thoughts are no doubt with their families. I'm on the 'sheltered' side, the other side of Gibraltar from Portugal and I can tell you that the weather last week was pretty bad here. The marina here was closed and all the local fishermen had the week off so I can only imagine how bad it was on the other side. Just crazy to go out in those conditions, that were well forcast and a good reminder to us all of the risks involved when you don't plan properly.

[boatman61]

Dockhead... I've seen a fishing boat bigger than the one in the article broached and rolled on the Fig da Foz entrance bar.... and thats after the extention to the Nth B/water which has improved things a lot from a couple of years ago when I surfed in on a 3-4metre swell which breaks as it hits the bar... pucker time as I watched the depth go from 4.5 to 1metre..... my draft.. I was lucky... timing was good...

[S/V Alchemy]

Originally Posted by Ram

Wow no way in hell i would have tried that! I thought I entered almost every port in Portugal, but i dont remember that one!

Agreed. Too close for comfort. Getting in was bad enough, but it looked like that rock in the foreground before the inner harbour was going to do a radical buffing job on the yacht.

[Cavalier]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

Horrible.

That situation sounds like this:

.

My buttocks were clenched so hard watching that, my wife thought I'd grown 6" in my seat!

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by boatman61

Dockhead... I've seen a fishing boat bigger than the one in the article broached and rolled on the Fig da Foz entrance bar.... and thats after the extention to the Nth B/water which has improved things a lot from a couple of years ago when I surfed in on a 3-4metre swell which breaks as it hits the bar... pucker time as I watched the depth go from 4.5 to 1metre..... my draft.. I was lucky... timing was good...

Good God. I would never attempt such a thing. I would rather stand off at sea until conditions improve. In bad weather, you're always safer where there's no land (I stole that phrase from another forumite, but now it's my own!).

[IdoraKeeper]

Horrible sight,, it's smashed to pieces.

todd

[sailorF54]

Originally Posted by boatman61

Dockhead... I've seen a fishing boat bigger than the one in the article broached and rolled on the Fig da Foz entrance bar.... and thats after the extention to the Nth B/water which has improved things a lot from a couple of years ago when I surfed in on a 3-4metre swell which breaks as it hits the bar... pucker time as I watched the depth go from 4.5 to 1metre..... my draft.. I was lucky... timing was good...

I misjudged the amount of swell leaving Figueira da Foz in september 2008. Had a real fright...My Volvo engine at full rev saved me as I cursed myself aloud and picked up my way between breaking seas. The entrance and that of all harbours in the area were announced closed on the VHF half an hour later.

[S/V Alchemy]

BBC News - Two British men missing after boat capsizes in Portugal

The report mentions a "freak wave". If the area is closed because swells are breaking on the bar, how is it "freak". They ignored the warning so a guy could be dropped off.

I wonder if that guy is the survivor?

[Wand]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

Good God. I would never attempt such a thing. I would rather stand off at sea until conditions improve. In bad weather, you're always safer where there's no land (I stole that phrase from another forumite, but now it's my own!).

You're welcome Dockhead; always happy to gift a quote. Okay, an original thought it surely wasn't but nothing is new except arrangement (er, Will Durant I think )

[Asmodeane]

Is that some sort of a Beneteau First boat? A picture of the bow section on BBC News shows a round fore hatch that reminds me of some earlier models...