Colin Yeates

Colin Yeates. February 2006

February 18, 2006

11:00GMT Colin activated Argos beacon:
"Very heavy sea, unable to make any headway, boat capsized 5 times, equipment lost, GPS down."
Private arrangements made to be towed back to Falklands base, a patrol boat is on its way, e.t.a. 2 hours.
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14:00GMT an aircraft is reported to be overhead of Colin and patrol boat is expected to arrive there very soon.
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15:45GMT. The patrol boat is alongside . They took Colin off the boat and will try ( but - no promises...) to recover the boat as well.
Colin can be expected to be back on dry land around 20:00GMT
17:00GMT. According to positions of the boat it has not been picked up or towed and is still drifting at speed 0.7 knots, heading 130° (SE)

February 21, 2006

I spoke to Colin yesterday. The latest I have is as follows:

Colin was taken off the “Charlie Rossiter” on Saturday afternoon [Feb 18, 2006], by the crew of the fisheries protection ship “Dorada”, which was diverted from routine duties to find him. They were just leaving Port Stanley to run a firing exercise when Colin requested assistance.
They took around 2 hours to reach his position. The sea state was dangerous, with a 15m swell in high winds. The “Dorada” bravely put an inflatable in the water which took Colin off. Because conditions were so bad, Colin left everything on board and abandoned ship. It was judged too risky to get a tow attached and the decision was taken to sink the “Charlie Rossiter” to prevent it becoming a “navigation hazard”. This they then attempted to do with their guns (20mm canon) and although holed, the “Charlie Rossiter” refused to sink and was eventually left to drift.
Colin was returned to Port Stanley the same day. I can confirm he has abandoned his attempt to circumnavigate the Antarctic and is flying back to the UK next Saturday (first available flight). Colin also confirmed he left all 4 Argos beacons on board with the rest of his equipment.
Regards,
Simon Dyde