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Adrift for 3 months, a man and his dog lived on raw fish until rescued by fishermen

The Associated Press

Australian Timothy Lyndsay Shaddock gives a thumbs up during a welcoming ceremony with Grupo Mar President Antonio Suarez, left, and Oscar Meza Oregó, captain of the Mexican tuna boat "Maria Delia," after being rescued from sea and arriving to port in Manzanillo, Mexico, Tuesday, July 18, 2023. Fernando Llano/AP hide caption

Australian Timothy Lyndsay Shaddock gives a thumbs up during a welcoming ceremony with Grupo Mar President Antonio Suarez, left, and Oscar Meza Oregó, captain of the Mexican tuna boat "Maria Delia," after being rescued from sea and arriving to port in Manzanillo, Mexico, Tuesday, July 18, 2023.

MANZANILLO, Mexico — An Australian sailor who was rescued by a Mexican tuna boat after being adrift at sea with his dog for three months said Tuesday that he is grateful to be alive after setting foot on dry land for the first time since their ordeal began.

Timothy Lyndsay Shaddock, 54, disembarked in the Mexican city of Manzanillo after being examined on board the boat that rescued him, the Maria Delia.

"I'm feeling alright. I'm feeling a lot better than I was, I tell ya," Shaddock, smiling, bearded and thin, told reporters on the dock in the port city about 210 miles (337 kilometers) west of Mexico City.

For 24 days, Elvis Francois was lost at sea — living mostly off Ketchup

"To the captain and fishing company that saved my life, I'm just so grateful. I'm alive and I didn't really think I'd make it," Shaddock said, adding that he and his "amazing" dog Bella are both doing well.

Shaddock described himself as a quiet person who loves being alone on the ocean. Asked why he set out in April from Mexico's Baja Peninsula to cross the Pacific Ocean to French Polynesia, he was initially at a loss.

"I'm not sure I have the answer to that, but I very much enjoy sailing and I love the people of the sea," he said. "It's the people of the sea that make us all come together. The ocean is in us. We are the ocean."

The Sydney man's catamaran set sail from the Mexican city of La Paz but was crippled by bad weather weeks into the journey. He said the last time he saw land was in early May as he sailed out of the Sea of Cortez and into the Pacific. There was a full moon.

Shaddock said he had been well-provisioned, but a storm knocked out his electronics and ability to cook. He and Bella survived on raw fish.

"There were many, many, many bad days and many good days," he said.

"The energy, the fatigue is the hardest part," he said. He passed the time fixing things and stayed positive by going into the water to "just enjoy being in the water."

When the tuna boat's helicopter spotted Shaddock's catamaran about 1,200 miles (1,930 kilometers) from land, it was the first sign of humans he had seen in three months, Shaddock said. The pilot tossed him a drink and then flew away, returning later with a speed boat from the María Delia, he said.

Grupomar, which operates the fishing fleet, didn't specify when the rescue occurred. But it said in a statement that Shaddock and his dog were in a "precarious" state when found, lacking provisions and shelter, and that the tuna boat's crew gave them medical attention, food and hydration.

Shaddock said the tuna boat became his land and that Bella was an immediate hit with the crew. He also explained how he and the dog met.

The crew of the Mexican tuna boat "Maria Delia" pose for photos with Bella, the dog of Australian Timothy Lyndsay Shaddock, both of whom they rescued from a incapacitated catamaran in the Pacific Ocean, as they bring the pair to port in Manzanillo, Mexico, Tuesday, July. 18, 2023. Fernando Llano/AP hide caption

The crew of the Mexican tuna boat "Maria Delia" pose for photos with Bella, the dog of Australian Timothy Lyndsay Shaddock, both of whom they rescued from a incapacitated catamaran in the Pacific Ocean, as they bring the pair to port in Manzanillo, Mexico, Tuesday, July. 18, 2023.

"Bella sort of found me in the middle of Mexico. She's Mexican," he said. "She's the spirit of the middle of the country and she wouldn't let me go. I tried to find a home for her three times and she just kept following me onto the water. She's a lot braver than I am, that's for sure."

Perhaps for that reason, Bella did not leave the boat until Shaddock had driven away Tuesday. He had already chosen Genaro Rosales, a crew member from Mazatlan, to adopt her on the condition that he would take good care of the dog.

Shaddock said he'll be returning to Australia soon and that he's looking forward to seeing his family.

There have been other stories of extreme ocean survival, but they do not all end happily.

In 2016, a Colombian fisherman was rescued after spending two months adrift in the Pacific Ocean. Three of his crewmates died. He was rescued by a merchant ship more than 2,000 miles (3.220 kilometers) southeast of Hawaii. He and the others had been fishing off Colombia's coast when their skiff's motor failed, leaving them adrift.

In 2014, a Salvadoran fisherman washed ashore on the tiny Pacific atoll of Ebon in the Marshall Islands after drifting at sea for 13 months. Jose Salvador Alvarenga left Mexico for a day of shark fishing in December 2012. He said he survived on fish, birds and turtles before his boat washed ashore 5,500 miles (8,850 kilometers) away.

In other cases, boats are found, but without survivors or are lost entirely.

More than 20,000 migrants have died trying to cross the Mediterranean Sea to Europe since 2014, according to the International Organization for Migration.

Antonio Suarez, Grupomar's president, said Tuesday that this could be the María Delia's final trip because he is modernizing the company's fleet and the boat is its smallest and is more than 50 years old.

If so, it would be a "marvelous farewell, saving human lives," Suarez said.

• Pacific Ocean

Man rescued from sinking yacht in Oregon allegedly left dead fish at 'Goonies' house days earlier

Police in Astoria, Oregon, said the yacht had been stolen.

A man saved from a sinking yacht was later identified as a wanted suspect who allegedly left a fish on the porch of the house from “The Goonies” in Oregon, police said.

The yacht had been stolen and the man, identified as Jericho Labonte, 35, was arrested after the rescue, police in Astoria, Oregon, said.

The U.S. Coast Guard’s Pacific Northwest district on Friday released a video of a yacht in danger in high waves at the mouth of the Colombia River.

“The surf made rescue by boat dangerous, so the aircrew decided to lower the rescue swimmer and have the owner enter the water for rescue,” the Coast Guard said. “As he entered the water the vessel capsized but the rescue swimmer was able to safely recover the individual.”

After the Coast Guard posted the video, police in Astoria, Oregon, said they began receiving calls about both the rescued man and the vessel.

“On February 3, 2023, we received a call from Port Security Chief Matt Hansen informing us that the vessel involved in the Coast Guard rescue earlier in the day was stolen from the Port of Astoria,” the department said in a news release . “He recognized the vessel on the video, contacted the owner, and confirmed that it had been stolen.”

Calls also began coming in about the man who had been rescued, with locals identifying him as Labonte, police said. Police in Victoria, British Columbia, had been searching for Labonte since at least Jan. 19, when they issued a province-wide arrest warrant for him for five unendorsed warrants for charges of criminal harassment, mischief and three counts of failure to comply.

Police in Oregon said Labonte was released from the hospital on Friday before they realized who he was.

“He had been transported to Columbia Memorial Hospital after the rescue as a precaution and was discharged before being identified as the suspect,” Astoria police officials said.

Astoria Police said they had added their own charges against Labonte, saying in press release that he was wanted on charges including theft, endangering another person, unauthorized use of a vehicle and criminal mischief.

They said they had received a call on Feb. 1 saying that Labonte “had posted a video of himself on Facebook placing a dead fish on the front porch of the Goonies’ house.”

Labonte was arrested on Friday evening at the Seaside Warming Center, a shelter in Astoria, police said.

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Fisherman saved by watch reflection after floating in the ocean for almost 24 hours

A fisherman’s survival was an “absolute miracle,” police said after the man was rescued almost 24 hours after falling into the sea off the New Zealand coast, having used the reflection from his watch to signal for help.

The man, who has not been named, told officers that a shark came to “have a sniff,” Whangamatā Police Sgt. Will Hamilton said in a statement. Ultimately the creature decided on something else for dinner.

The angler’s ordeal began after he fell into the water off of New Zealand’s North Island on Tuesday while trying to reel in a marlin, Hamilton said.

The fisherman was “unable to catch the idling boat as it meandered further out of reach,” Hamilton said, adding that the man decided to swim to the Aldermen Islands, which sit around 35 miles off the North Island’s east coast.

Strong currents thwarted his plan, however, and Hamilton said the man “endured a cold night in the ocean, too exhausted to keep swimming.”

After he spent more than 23 hours in the water, Hamilton said three “eagle eyed” fishermen noticed an “unusual reflection” in the distance.

After deciding to investigate, Hamilton said, they found the man “desperately trying to get their attention using the reflection of the sun on his watch.” After pulling him from the water, they went to shore where an ambulance crew was waiting, Hamilton added.

“The man was hypothermic and exhausted when he was returned to land,” he said.

“The boaties did an absolute stellar job and without a doubt saved this man’s life,” Hamilton said. “Without the quick actions of the three gentlemen that retrieved him, this certainly would have had a tragic outcome.”

Max White, who was skippering the rescue boat, told New Zealand’s Newshub news service that it was “definitely an experience we won’t forget.” He added that it was “one that could’ve gone either way, but I’m glad it’s got a happy ending.”

In a note to police, Hamilton said, “the man said he wanted to go on record to thank Mike, Tyler and James for rescuing him, along with all the emergency services involved.”

“It is an absolute miracle the fisherman is still alive after the ordeal,” he added.

Police were still working to find the man’s boat, he said.

“The boat may be missing,” he said. “But the fisherman still has his watch.”

Larissa Gao is an associate social newsgathering reporter based in Hong Kong.

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Watch: Fugitive from Victoria rescued by U.S. Coast Guard after stolen yacht flips

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A wild story involving a dead fish, a cult movie, a boat theft and a death-defying rescue at sea has culminated in a wanted Victoria man being locked up in Oregon.

It all started Wednesday, about 6 p.m., when Astoria police received a call from a concerned citizen telling them that Jericho Wolf Labonte had posted a disturbing video on his Facebook page showing him putting a dead fish on the porch of The Goonies house, Police Chief Stacy Kelly said Saturday.

The house, where the 1985 movie The Goonies was filmed, has become an unofficial tourist attraction in a residential neighbourhood, Kelly said.

“People live there. It’s not a museum. However, we get visitors constantly who go up there, take pictures in front of it. … It’s like the movie that doesn’t die,” Kelly said. “It has quite the following.”

Labonte put the fish on the porch, covered the security cameras with stickers, then danced around the property and the property next door, “just acting really odd,” said Kelly.

Police began looking for Labonte to arrest him and charge him with criminal mischief.

Then Friday, the U.S. Coast Guard Pacific Northwest posted videos on Twitter of an amazing rescue. The posts said two air crews were on a training mission at the mouth of the Columbia River when they received a mayday call from a yacht, floundering in the surf.

Lifeboats were launched but the ocean swells made it too dangerous to attempt a rescue. So the air crew lowered a swimmer by cable to rescue a man on board.

As the swimmer neared the vessel it was struck by a 10-metre wave. The boat rolled over, throwing the man into the rough sea. The swimmer pulled the man to safety and he was flown to Coast Guard Base Astoria, where paramedics were waiting to take him to hospital.

When the Port of Astoria security chief saw the videos, he recognized the $160,000 yacht and contacted the owner to let him know it had been stolen, said Kelly. The security chief also called police, who saw the video, recognized Labonte and put it all together.

Police called the coast guard and found out that Labonte had already been discharged from hospital.

Later Friday evening, police received a report that Labonte was at a warming shelter for the homeless in Seaside. Seaside police, Oregon State police and Clatsop County Sheriff found him and took him into custody.

On Jan. 19, Victoria police issued a public alert for Labonte, who is wanted B.C.-wide on charges of criminal harassment, mischief and three breaches.

“It is believed that Jericho Labonte is travelling to the Victoria area and that he may pose a risk to public safety. If you see Jericho Labonte, do not approach him and call 911,” said the alert.

Kelly said he didn’t know if Labonte would be handed over to Canadian authorities.

The U.S. Coast Guard contacted Immigration and Customs Enforcement and they are “very interested in him because he is in our country illegally. He did not enter through a port correctly,” said Kelly. “They actually have a history on him. They know where he enters and how he enters so they were very interested in getting hold of him.”

Police have reports that the boat broke apart. Pieces have washed up on a beach in Washington, directly across from Astoria.

Astoria police are charging Labonte with theft, endangering another person, unauthorized use of the vessel, in addition to criminal mischief relating to the dead fish.

“It’s been one crazy couple of days,” said the police chief. “It’s been non-stop and it’s a crazy story. … We’ll deal with it.”

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4 bodies found inside the Bayesian, Mike Lynch family yacht, amid search

Four bodies were recovered inside the Bayesian superyacht on Wednesday, more than two days after it sank off the coast of Italy , setting off an exhaustive search for six missing people, including British tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch .

Two of the bodies discovered earlier on Wednesday were brought to shore. One body recovered was a heavily built man, Reuters reported.

Six of the ship's 22 passengers, including Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter, went missing after the yacht plunged under the water just before 5 a.m. on Monday as a storm swept across the area. Americans are among the missing, officials have said.

The U.K.-registered yacht belonged to Lynch's wife, Angela Bacares, who was also on board and was rescued. The tech tycoon was recently acquitted on fraud charges after a year under house arrest.

Ricardo Thomas, the ship's cook, was found dead on Monday, according to the coast guard.

The rescue mission saw a diving team, helicopters and multiple coast guard ships deployed to search the water. Fifteen people were pulled from the water on Monday, and eight were hospitalized in stable condition.

A 'black swan event'? Experts puzzle over why Bayesian yacht sank

An investigation opened by local prosecutors into the cause of the disaster is ongoing. Experts have pointed to a water spout, a tornado over the water that can travel up to 120 mph, that formed during the storm, as well as the heavy weight of ship's mast, one of the largest in the world.

The 184-feet-long ship was made by Italian ship manufacturer Perini in 2008.

Lynch set off on the cruise late last month to celebrate his acquittal on fraud charges in the U.S. that marked a decade of legal challenges, the Associated Press reported .

One of his lawyers and a character witness for Lynch during the trial were also on board and vanished when the boat went down. Authorities have not yet disclosed the identities of the four people found.

Here are the passengers who were declared missing.

Mike Lynch and Hannah Lynch

Mike Lynch, 59, is co-founder of Britain’s largest enterprise software, Autonomy, which was sold to Hewlett-Packard in 2011, and founder of venture capital fund Invoke Capital. 

Sometimes known as “Britain’s Bill Gates,” Lynch was slapped with charges after HP said it had uncovered deceit and a major accounting scandal within the firm. He spent a year on house arrest after being extradited from the UK.

In early June, at the end of a 12-week trial, a San Francisco jury acquitted Lynch of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. He was also cleared on a charge of securities fraud later that month.

Lynch and Bacares have two daughters and six dogs, all named after engineering parts, according to the U.K.’s Sunday Times in a profile of Lynch from last month.

Lynch’s 18-year-old daughter, Hannah, was also among the missing. She was preparing to study English literature at Oxford University, according to the Sunday Times. 

Hannah is the younger of Mike Lynch’s two daughters, the Times reported . Mike Lynch told the outlet that his daughters had grown up with their father being publicly accused of fraud. 

Jonathan Bloomer and Judy Bloomer

Jonathan Bloomer is the non-executive chairman of both Morgan Stanley International and the insurer Hiscox, among other companies. Bloomer acted as a character witness on Lynch’s behalf during his fraud trial. 

Hiscox Chief Executive Aki Hussain told Reuters in a statement that the firm was deeply shocked and saddened and their thoughts were with all those affected. 

Bloomer’s twin brother, Jeremy, told BBC that he is processing the news and the family is waiting to hear updates.

“He was my elder by half an hour, so, it means a lot when you lose a twin brother,” Jeremy Bloomer told BBC. “We’ll still wait and see, so it’s fingers crossed.”

Jonathan Bloomer’s wife, Judy, is a psychotherapist of nearly three decades and former teacher. She specializes in anxiety and stress. She studied English language and literature at Homerton College in Cambridge.

Christopher Morvillo and Neda Morvillo

A lawyer with Clifford Chance, Chris Morvillo was among the team that represented Mike Lynch during his trial. Morvillo is an American citizen. 

He was an assistant U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York from 1999 to 2005, and he worked on the criminal investigation stemming from the 9/11 terrorist attacks. 

Morvillo was a graduate of Fordham University School of Law and Villanova University. 

Neda Morvillo, his wife, owns a hand-crafted jewelry company under her maiden name, Neda Nassiri. The company’s website said she has been designing and making jewelry for over 20 years.

In a post on LinkedIn after the conclusion of Lynch’s trial, Chris Morvillo acknowledged his family for their support during the case. 

“And, finally, a huge thank you to my patient and incredible wife, Neda Morvillo, and my two strong, brilliant, and beautiful daughters, Sabrina Morvillo and Sophia Morvillo.  None of this would have been possible without your love and support. I am so glad to be home. 

And they all lived happily ever after…."

Contributing: Reuters

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Man rescued after spending two days lost at sea in partially sunken boat

‘he was scared to death,’ says father of 25-year-old boater who was stung by jellyfish and saw sharks nearby, article bookmarked.

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A man has been rescued after being stranded on a partially submerged boat off the Atlantic Coast for 35 hours.

Charles Gregory, 25, went missing at sea after going on a fishing trip on Friday morning at around 4am.

His family grew concerned after he failed to return to a boat ramp in St Augustine, Florida , and contacted officials.

The boater’s father, Raymond Gregory, said that a wave capsized his son’s 12-foot jon boat causing him to drift far from the shore.

The 25-year-old lost both his life jacket and mobile phone, was stung by jellyfish and had seen sharks in the water.

His body was pushed to the limits as he was sunburnt during the day and left “freezing cold” in the icy water at night.

“He was scared to death. He said he’s had more conversations with God in that 30 hours than he’s had his whole life,” Mr Gregory told CNN.

Though the boater is now safe and resting at home, his father said he is suffering from Rhabdomyolysis, which is when damaged muscle tissue breaks down and releases proteins and electrolytes into the blood.

However, the boater is expected to recover.

An HC-130 Hercules plane crew spotted Gregory on Saturday morning, sitting in his partially submerged boat, the US Coast Guard said.

A Coast Guard Cutter Coho boat crew recovered Charles and transferred him to a Station Mayport boat crew who transported him to EMS at Vilano Beach Fishing Pier.

Coast Guard Sector Jacksonville Commander Nick Barrow said: “While this case resulted in rescuing Charles from a life-threatening situation, it highlights the importance of having safety gear onboard and being prepared for the worst.

“If you plan to head out on the water, remember to have a life jacket, VHF marine grade radio, signalling devices and an emergency personal locator beacon to contact first responders in case you are in need of assistance.”

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Man Rescued by Coast Guard Wanted in Bizarre Fish Incident

The mouth of the columbia, the largest north american river that flows into the pacific ocean, has such notoriously rough seas that it is known as “the graveyard of the pacific”, published february 3, 2023 • updated on february 3, 2023 at 10:15 pm.

A man who was saved by a Coast Guard rescue swimmer at the mouth of the Columbia River on Friday as a massive wave rolled the yacht he was piloting turned out to be wanted for a bizarre incident in which police said he left a dead fish at the Astoria, Oregon, home featured in the classic 1985 film, “The Goonies.”

Officers had been looking for the man since Wednesday, when an acquaintance alerted them to a video he had posted on social media of himself leaving the fish at the house and then dancing around the property, said Astoria Police Chief Stacy Kelly.

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Early Friday afternoon, the Coast Guard shared stunning video of a rescue made a few hours earlier, in which a newly minted rescue swimmer lowered by cable from a helicopter swam to a 35-feet (11-meter) yacht that was struggling in heavy surf. As the swimmer approached the vessel, a large wave slammed into it, rolling the boat completely over and throwing the man onboard into the water.

The swimmer reached the man and pulled him to safety. The helicopter crew flew him to Coast Guard Base Astoria, where medics treated him for mild hypothermia and transported him to a local hospital.

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The owner of the yacht, who lives in nearby Warrenton, Oregon, reported the vessel stolen later Friday, the police chief said.

By the time police saw the Coast Guard's photos and video and realized it was the same person who they said covered over security cameras at the Goonies house and left the dead fish on the porch, the hospital had already released him. Police were still looking for him as of Friday evening.

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Kelly didn't know what kind of fish it was, but said it had been caught locally, because after the man's video from the Goonies house started circulating, another person called police to report having taken the man out fishing.

“It's been a really odd 48 hours,” he said.

Kelly identified the man as Jericho Labonte, 35, of Victoria, British Columbia. Labonte is also wanted in British Columbia on criminal harassment, mischief and failure to comply cases from last fall, Kelly said.

The mouth of the Columbia, the largest North American river that flows into the Pacific Ocean, has such notoriously rough seas that it is known as “the graveyard of the Pacific.” The Coast Guard was conducting several trainings nearby when the mayday call from the yacht came in at about 10 a.m. Friday, said Petty Officer Michael Clark.

The mayday call contained no information about vessel location or what the problem was, but the agency was able to triangulate roughly where the call was coming from, Clark said. Crews on vessels and in a helicopter who happened to be training nearby responded.

They found the yacht, the P/C Sandpiper, taking on water in 20-foot (6-meter) seas — meaning the height of a wave from the previous trough could be as much as 40 feet (12 meters), Clark said.

The rescue swimmer — who was on his first rescue just after graduating from the Coast Guard's rescue swimmer program — was lowered from the helicopter by a cable. As he neared the vessel, the man on board climbed onto the stern, preparing to get into the water.

But just then a huge wave slammed the boat, throwing him into the surf. The wave struck so violently that the vessel rolled completely over and wound up floating upright.

The swimmer managed to locate the man in the surf and pulled him to safety.

“It's a bit of a christening for a new rescue swimmer,” Clark said.

Man who was saved by Coast Guard during harrowing rescue stole the yacht he was piloting, Astoria police say

• Updated: Jan. 03, 2024, 2:36 p.m.
• | Published: Feb. 03, 2023, 4:38 p.m.

In this photo provided by the U.S. Coast Guard Pacific Northwest, a Coast Guard rescue swimmer reaches a boat right before a giant wave rolled the craft at the mouth of the Columbia River. The newly minted Coast Guard rescue swimmer saved the life of a man who was piloting the yacht. (Turcotte/U.S Coast Guard via AP) AP

• The Associated Press

A newly minted Coast Guard rescue swimmer saved a man’s life Friday at the mouth of the Columbia River between Oregon and Washington state just after a giant wave rolled the yacht he was piloting and threw him into the surf.

In an odd twist to the heroic story, Astoria police said Friday evening that the man who was rescued stole the yacht .

• Police arrest man they say left dead fish at Astoria’s ‘Goonies’ house, stole yacht and prompted harrowing Coast Guard rescue

Video from a Coast Guard helicopter captured part of the dramatic save. Petty Officer Michael Clark says the agency received a mayday call at about 10 a.m., with no additional information.

The agency was able to triangulate roughly where the call was coming from, and Coast Guard crews on vessels and in a helicopter who happened to be training nearby responded. They found the 35-feet yacht, the P/C Sandpiper, taking on water in 20-foot seas — meaning the height of a wave from the previous trough could be as much as 40 feet, Clark said.

The rescue swimmer — who was on his first rescue just after graduating from the Coast Guard’s rescue swimmer program — was lowered from the helicopter by a cable. As he neared the vessel, the man on board climbed onto the stern, preparing to get into the water.

But just then a huge wave slammed the boat, throwing him into the surf. The wave struck so violently that the vessel rolled completely over and wound up floating upright.

The swimmer managed to locate the man in the surf and pulled him to safety aboard the MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter. The crew brought him to Coast Guard Base Astoria, where medics treated him for mild hypothermia.

“It’s a bit of a christening for a new rescue swimmer,” Clark said.

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The swimmer’s name was not immediately released. Astoria police identified the man who was rescued as Jericho Labonte, 35. He is wanted by Canadian police and, after today’s incident, by Astoria police for allegedly stealing the yacht, said Astoria police chief Stacy Kelly.

The mouth of the Columbia, the largest North American river that flows into the Pacific Ocean, has such notoriously rough seas that it is known as “the graveyard of the Pacific.”

In this photo provided by the U.S. Coast Guard Pacific Northwest, a Coast Guard ship, left, attempts to a rescue a distressed yacht at the mouth of the Columbia River . A newly minted Coast Guard rescue swimmer saved the life of a man who was piloting the yacht. ( Kyle Turcotte/U.S. Coast Guard via AP) AP

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• Australia News

Man, 60, woman, 48, rescued from stranded 19 metre yacht in major operation involving police and Australian Defence Force

A man and woman have been rescued in a major operation off the NSW south coast on Tuesday morning, about 20 hours after their yacht reportedly suffered a mechanical failure and took on water.

Two sailors have been rescued after a major operation off the NSW south coast.

The crew of a 19-metre yacht activated a distress beacon on Monday just before 1pm after it got into trouble about 185 kilometres from Nowra and started taking on water.

It is understood a mechanical issue on the Spirit of Mateship - which once competed in the Sydney to Hobart race - is the cause of it being stranded.

Police Marine Command and the Australian Defence Force were notified and a joint rescue operation was launched to find the vessel and its crew.

NSW Police confirmed in a statement on Tuesday that a 60-year-old man and 49-year-old woman were pulled to safety about 7:25am, some 20 hours later.

"They are currently on board the NEMESIS, travelling to Sydney. It is anticipated the NEMESIS will arrive at NSW Police Marine Area Command late tonight," police said.

"No further information is available at this stage."

NSW Police vessel Nemesis and HMAS Canberra had made contact with the pair at 1am, but the operation to rescue them were abandoned due to "extreme weather".

Three helicopters - two from the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) and one from the NSW Ambulance - also could not rescue the pair on Monday.

Two Navy boats in Arunta and Canberra were also sent to the scene.

ASMA duty manager Ben Flight said the yacht had drifted 300 kilometres east following "very trying conditions" of 50 to 60km/h winds and five to six metre swells.

He told Sky News Australia moments after confirmation of the successful rescue that the man and woman are in "good spirits and good condition".

However, the vessel had to be abandoned.

"We’ve got a location for that and we’ll monitor that," he said on First Edition.

AMSA confirmed on Monday night they were able to make contact with the sailors, but could not pull them to safety due to "fuel considerations".

Sailors met by family on dry land after yacht rescue in 'horrendous conditions'

By Millie Roberts

A man and a woman have returned to dry land after being rescued from a yacht on the New South Wales South Coast.

Brett and Lisa were saved during a multi-agency rescue on Tuesday morning, before docking in Sydney on Tuesday.

Lisa, 48, said she was feeling "safe and secure and happy" after the ordeal.

A man and woman have expressed gratitude for being back on dry land after they were rescued from a stricken yacht on the New South Wales South Coast on Tuesday. 

Brett, 60, and Lisa, 48, were found "safe and sound" about 170 nautical miles east of Nowra at around 7:30am.

"I am so pleased to say that this rescue operation has been a resounding success," NSW Marine Area Command Acting Superintendent Siobhan Munro said.

The rescue mission was launched off the South Coast after a distress beacon was activated about 1pm on Monday.

Two sailors, Lisa and Brett, were rescued off the NSW coast after their yacht began taking on water. ( ABC News: Victoria Pengilley )

At the time, the yacht was 85 nautical miles from Sydney, and had drifted 160 nautical miles offshore by the time emergency services reached Brett and Lisa.

"That's how strong the winds were and how fast it was, pushing the vessel away," NSW Marine Area Command Sergeant Ryan Spong said of the conditions.

The 19-metre vessel, Spirit of Mateship, had experienced mechanical failure and was taking on water, Ben Flight from the Australian Maritime Safety Authority said on Tuesday morning.

Spirit of Mateship was left abandoned at sea following the rescue. ( Supplied: POB Jason Herrmann )

It's believed Brett and Lisa left Jervis Bay on Sunday or Monday for Sydney, NSW Marine Area Command Chief Inspector Anthony Brazzill said.

On Tuesday, a multi-agency operation retrieved the pair "in some quite horrendous conditions", Sergeant Spong added.

The pair were taken on board NSW Water Police vessel Nemesis, and thanked everyone involved in their return to Sydney.

Lisa said she was feeling "safe and secure and happy" despite not getting much sleep last night.

The 60-year-old man and 48-year-old woman were greeted by family members at the NSW Police Area Command in Balmain. ( ABC News: Victoria Pengilley )

Brett said the waiting was "alright" and that the boat was "safe" and "more than seaworthy".

"It was more we were tired, seasick, we couldn't continue any further," he said.

"That was a decision we made to call ... it could have got worse ... I think we made the right decision."

The Nemesis passed through Sydney Heads just before 6pm, before the pair were met by family in Balmain half an hour later.

Spirit of Mateship, which has raced in several Sydney to Hobart yacht races, was abandoned at sea.

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Captain Shares What He Learned from Man Overboard Rescue

Kate got her start in the yachting industry working as crew. She spent five years cruising the Bahamas, Caribbean, New England, and Central America, then segued that experience into a career in marine journalism, including stints as editor of  Dockwalk  and  ShowBoats International .

The 74-meter motor yacht Plvs Vltra was underway from Dubai to the Mediterranean on June 20, 2021, when the OOW heard a Mayday call on the VHF. Nine miles away, 50 nautical miles off the coast of Oman, a 100-meter cargo ship was sinking. The superyacht altered course towards the vessel, which soon disappeared from ECDIS and radar, completely submerged in the heavy seas. When they arrived at the site, they found 10 sailors in the water and two life rafts floating about a mile away.

The men in the water were exhausted and soaked in diesel from a slick that spanned a quarter mile of sea surface. The fumes were overpowering, further weakening the swimmers. Seas were three to four meters while the southwest wind howled at 25 to 30 knots. Getting them on board Plvs Vltra would be no mean feat.

• M/Y Plvs Vltra Rescues 10 Crew From Sinking Cargo Ship

“To recover the ten men in the water, it was necessary to take the vessel to them,” says the delivery captain, Martyn Walker. “I have long been a firm believer that most rescue boats will not be available when needed and certainly it never entered our head to try and launch ours in these conditions. To do so was impossible and totally unsafe.”

Capt. Walker’s initial plan was simple: hold the yacht to windward, have the deck crew throw lines to men in the water, and pull them on board. “This is far from what happened and that method, it seems, would have been impossible and more dangerous than how we ended up recovering them,” he says.

• Basics of a Search and Rescue at Sea

Because of the current, Walker could not hold the bow into the wind. The bow thruster was of no use, being underpowered for the conditions and often out of the water in the huge swell, and he had to lay off the engines when nearby the swimmers. “So by default, the stern of the boat kept coming into the waves,” says Walker. “You would think you’d want the bow to windward and try to bring (the MOBs) on. But imagine if the bow is to windward in a 15-foot sea — how high that swim platform is coming up.”

“Panic set in with the men in the water. They pushed and shoved to be first on, resulting in us having to keep going back around as we lost one or two each time….”

With the stern to windward, each wave that crashed over the back washed men on board — and lost some too. “Panic set in with the men in the water. They pushed and shoved to be first on, resulting in us having to keep going back around as we lost one or two each time. We made many moves to get everyone on board,” says Walker.

Two of Plvs Vltra ’s crew on the swim platform also got swept overboard. They were able to get back on board and attached their harnesses. They held on to the men as they were washed aboard and helped them to the main deck when the wave subsided. Walker estimates the last man they rescued had been in the water for two-and-a-half hours and was “minutes from drowning.”

This real-life worst-case scenario was a first for Capt. Walker in his decades commanding yachts. “None of us had been in a situation (like this) before. We were just making it up as we went.” He shares some of the lessons he learned.

First of all, he wishes he had kept a crewmember in the wheelhouse with him to handle communications. Instead he sent the deck crew off to don life jackets and gather heaving lines. Meanwhile, two other responding vessels were calling Plvs Vltra on the VHF and, since they were in a NATO response area, the British Coast Guard was also calling on the SAT phone. “In between steering the vessel towards the area where the men were in the water, keeping the vessel to windward, and listening to the lookouts, I was overwhelmed with trying to answering the radio and telephone,” says Walker. “I have always had the ETO in the wheelhouse while maneuvering past large vessels. This should be a standard procedure when maneuvering, be it in and out of port or during a fire, MOB, or recovery such as this.”

Secondly, stow for the worst. A yacht’s interior is not designed for heaving to in those conditions. It crossed Walker’s mind that the rescue could end up being expensive for the owner with breakages on board. Fortunately, they were well prepared. “Stopping in these conditions without great interior stowage would have been a disaster,” he says.

“I have long been a firm believer that most rescue boats will not be available when needed and certainly it never entered our head to try and launch ours in these conditions. To do so was impossible and totally unsafe.”

Next, think about how to get someone on board. Even on a calm day, not all crewmembers would be able to pull themselves onto the swim platform on a yacht this size. “Try it one day on a drill,” Walker suggests. And there is no way even the fittest person could do it on a pitching boat after being soaked in diesel for an hour, he points out. In the debriefing, they discussed whether using a net or a swim ladder would have helped and everyone agreed that the survivors were too tired to climb a net and a ladder could not have stayed in position in the swell.

Finally, experience counts. Walker credits much of their success to the Royal Marines who were on board as security detail for the Gulf of Aden transit. One served as a lookout outside the wheelhouse for the captain, while the team leader coordinated the rescue on deck. Their experience vastly surpassed that of the yacht’s young crew.

“If we had not had three trained marines who are very well-rehearsed in mission planning, we may have had a weaker response,” he says. “This is why I suggest putting a plan in place before the start of a voyage so all crew knows their part.”

This article originally ran in the December 2021 issue of Dockwalk.

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Man saved by Coast Guard accused of stealing boat, leaving fish at 'Goonies' house

by KATU Staff

ASTORIA, Ore. — U.S. Coast Guard crews rescued a boater in distress just as his boat capsized in the surf near Cape Disappointment on Friday.

According to police in Astoria, that boater, 35-year-old Jericho Labonte, is accused of stealing the boat. He is also suspected of leaving a large dead fish on the porch of the "Goonies" house.

According to the Coast Guard, two aircrews were on a training mission at the mouth of the Columbia River when they got a “mayday” call from a boat that was “floundering in the surf."

A boat crew was also called out from the Coast Guard Station at Cape Disappointment; however, the surf made a boat rescue too dangerous.

USCG officials decided to lower the rescue swimmer, who was on his first rescue, and have Labonte enter the water.

Just as he jumped into the water, the vessel capsized. The rescue swimmer was able to safely get to Labonte, who was flown back to the Astoria Coast Guard Base for a medical evaluation.

He was released around 3:30 p.m., as authorities at that time did not know the boat was stolen.

Police were notified around 4 p.m. that the boat had been stolen from the Astoria Port.

Police found Labonte at a warming shelter in Seaside, where he had used a fake name. They arrested him at around 7:30 p.m.

Officers had been looking for him since Wednesday, when an acquaintance alerted them to a video he had posted on social media of himself leaving the fish at the Goonies house and then dancing around the property, said Astoria Police Chief Stacy Kelly.

Police said Labonte has five outstanding warrants in Victoria, British Columbia. Victoria police are sending officers to Oregon to question him.

The rescue swimmer, Petty Officer 1st Class Branch Walton, of Greenville, South Carolina, only recently graduated from the Coast Guard's rescue swimmer program.

Walton said in an interview Friday that he planned to reach the man, get him in the water and hook him to a cable attached to the helicopter. Instead, the wave hit.

“I kind of got thrown around a little bit by the wave. When I came up I noticed the boat was pretty much in shambles," Walton said.

He directed the helicopter to bring him to Labonte after spotting him in the surf a short distance away. The force of the wave had mostly knocked off his life jacket, Walton said.

The Associated Press contributed.

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Yells for help lead to Maine man's rescue after boat overturns: "Lobstermen saved his life"

By Kerry Breen

January 30, 2024 / 10:08 AM EST / CBS News

Lobstermen fishing off the coast of Maine helped rescue a man who had gone missing after his skiff overturned. 

The man, who was not identified, was checking on property damage after recent storms, according to St. George Fire and Rescue. When he missed a check-in with family, first responders were alerted to his absence shortly before 5 p.m. on Sunday.

That missing check-in "saved his life," St. George Fire and Rescue said on social media .  

Determining the man's location involved multiple parties. A citizen heard someone calling for help from a small island off the coast of Tenant's Harbor, a small town in the area. There are several small islands in the area. That citizen called in the incident, helping first responders figure out where to start their search. 

Local lobstermen heard radio chatter from officials talking about the rescue and possible locations and decided to stay in the area in case they could help. One lobsterman spoke to an official and checked the location to see if the missing man was there. 

"Our local lobstermen saved his life," St. George Fire and Rescue said, emphasizing how the combined efforts helped bring the man home safely. 

More than two dozen first responders went to the island to rescue the man. Some first responders were shuttled off the island by a lobsterman, St. George Fire and Rescue said. 

The man was taken back to Tenant's Harbor and transported to an area hospital, where he was treated for low body temperature, CBS affiliate WGME reported Monday. 

"While tonight's outcome feels like a victory, we do not know at this time what the future holds for our patient. Please keep him and his family in your thoughts on his road to recovery," St. George Fire and Rescue said Sunday. There have been no further updates about the man's condition. 

It was about 36 degrees and raining that day, according to the Weather Channel , with temperatures dropping to 29 degrees as night fell and the sun having already set when the man's family alerted first responders that he had not returned. 

Kerry Breen is a news editor at CBSNews.com. A graduate of New York University's Arthur L. Carter School of Journalism, she previously worked at NBC News' TODAY Digital. She covers current events, breaking news and issues including substance use.

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British tech magnate Mike Lynch, 2 US citizens among missing after luxury yacht sinks off Sicily

15 people were rescued and one body believed to be the cook was found near the wreck, but six others were unaccounted for and believed inside the hull, by andrea rosa and nicole winfield | the associated press • published august 19, 2024 • updated on august 19, 2024 at 6:21 pm.

British tech magnate Mike Lynch and five other people were missing after their luxury sailing yacht sank during a freak storm off Sicily early Monday, Italy’s civil protection and authorities said. Lynch’s wife and 14 other people survived.

Lynch, who was  acquitted in June  in a big U.S. fraud trial, was among six people who remain unaccounted for after their chartered sailboat sank off Porticello, when a tornado over the water known as a waterspout struck the area overnight, said Salvo Cocina of Sicily’s civil protection agency.

One body was recovered, and police divers spent the day trying to reach the hull of the ship, which was resting at a depth of 50 meters (163 feet) off Porticello where it had been anchored, rescue authorities said. They returned to the site after 10 p.m. to see if it would be possible to search through the night, when weather conditions were expected to worsen, said Luca Cari, spokesman of the fire rescue service.

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It had a crew of 10 people and 12 passengers, the Italian coast guard said. A sudden fierce storm had battered the area overnight, and struck the place precisely where the 56-meter (184-foot) British-flagged Bayesian had been moored.

“They were in the wrong place at the wrong time,” said Cocina, noting that another superyacht nearby wasn't as badly damaged and helped rescue some of the 15 survivors, who included Lynch's wife Angela Bacares.

The Bayesian was notable for its single 75-meter (246-feet) mast — one of the world’s tallest made of aluminum and which was lit up at night, just hours before it sank. Online charter sites listed it for rent for up to 195,000 euros (about $215,000) a week.

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One of the survivors, identified as Charlotte Golunski, said she momentarily lost hold of her 1-year-old daughter Sofia in the water, but then managed to hold her up over the waves until a lifeboat inflated and they were both pulled to safety, Italian news agency ANSA reported, quoting the mother. The father, James Emsley, also survived, said Cocina.

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Karsten Borner, the captain of the Sir Robert Baden Powell, said he had noticed the Bayesian nearby during the storm but after it calmed he saw a red flare and realized the ship had simply disappeared, ANSA and the Giornale di Sicilia newspaper reported. Borner said he and a crew member boarded their tender and found a lifeboat with 15 people, some of them injured, who they then took aboard and alerted the coast guard.

Eight of those rescued were hospitalized while the others were taken to a hotel. One body believed to be the cook was found near the wreck, but six others were unaccounted for and believed inside the hull, said Cari, the fire rescue spokesperson. The rescue operations, which were visible from shore, involved helicopters and rescue boats from the coast guard, fire rescue and civil protection service.

#Palermo , naufragio imbarcazione a Porticello: recuperato dai #sommozzatori dei #vigilidelfuoco il corpo senza vita di un uomo, all’esterno del relitto. Proseguono le operazioni di ricerca con il coordinamento in mare della @guardiacostiera [ #19agosto 11:30] pic.twitter.com/Y2m9o5ohCe — Vigili del Fuoco (@vigilidelfuoco) August 19, 2024

Fisherman Francesco Cefalu’ said he had seen a flare from shore at around 4:30 a.m. and immediately set out to the site but by the time he got there, the Bayesian had already sunk, with only cushions, wood and other items from the superyacht floating in the water.

“But for the rest, we didn’t find anyone,” he said from the port hours later. He said that he immediately alerted the coast guard and stayed on site for three hours, but didn't find any survivors. “I think they are inside, all the missing people.”

He said he had been up early to check the weather to see if he could go fishing, and surmised that a sudden waterspout had struck the yacht.

“It could be that the mast broke, or the anchor at the prow pulled it, I don’t know,” he said.

Cocina said the crew and passengers hailed from a variety of countries: In addition to Britain and the United States, passengers and crew were from Antigua, France, Germany, Ireland, Myanmar, the Netherlands, New Zealand and Spain, he said.

Among the dead and missing, four were British, two were American, and one was a man with dual citizenship from Canada and Antigua, according to Luciano Pischedda, the Italian Coast Guard official overseeing the rescue operations.

The UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch is deploying a team of four inspectors to Italy to conduct a preliminary assessment. The Foreign Commonwealth and Development office said it was “providing consular support to a number of British nationals and their families.”

Dutch foreign ministry spokesperson Casper Soetekouw said the lone Dutch citizen on board, a man, had been rescued and was not in life-threatening condition.

Lynch, once hailed as Britain’s king of technology, was cleared in June of fraud and conspiracy charges related to Hewlett Packard’s $11 billion takeover of his company, Autonomy Corp.

The not-guilty verdicts followed an 11-week criminal trial in San Francisco that delved into the history of HP’s  2011 acquisition  of Autonomy, a business software firm founded by Lynch.

The  fraud accusations  represented a dramatic turn in the fortunes of an entrepreneur once described as the Bill Gates of Britain — a title he seemed to live up to when he netted an $800 million from the Autonomy sale.

The acquittal vindicated Lynch, who had vehemently denied wrong doing and portrayed HP as a technological train wreck.

“I’m looking forward to returning the UK and getting back to what I love most: my family and innovating in my field,” Lynch said in a statement released after the verdict.

The yacht, built in 2008 by the Italian firm Perini Navi, can accommodate 12 passengers in four double cabins, a triple and the master suite, plus crew accommodations, according to Charter World and Yacht Charters.

The vessel, which previously was named Salute when it flew under a Dutch flag, featured a sleek, minimalist interior of light wood with Japanese accents designed by the French designer Remi Tessier, according to descriptions and photos on the charter sites.

AP writers Danica Kirka and Sylvia Hui contributed from London.

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