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Cittia De Salerno Sailboat Rescue At Sea

This week’s incident photo of the week is the rescue of the sailboat Cittia De Salerno’s captain, Gianfranco Tortolani, on the USA to UK segment of the the Original Single Handed Trans-Atlantic Race. AMVER tells us:

Tortolani, aboard the sailboat Cittia De Salerno, activated his emergency beacon which started an international rescue effort involving aircraft from Canada, the United States Coast Guard, and commercial ships.

United States Coast Guard authorities, using Amver search and rescue data, diverted the U.S. flagged container ship Maersk Missouri, which was only a few miles from the distress, to assist.

The Maersk Missouri, managed by Maersk Lines Limited of Virginia Beach, VA, quickly changed course and, despite winds in excess of 20 knots and swells of 16 feet, hoisted the yachtsman aboard the ship.

“We have him safely on board.” was the brief email sent by the master of the Maersk Missouri to Coast Guard rescue authorities after the 67 year old sailor was rescued. The sailboat was left adrift.

Tortolani was taken to the Missouri’s next port call, New Jersey, and is now on his way to Newport to celebrate the end of the race.

Photo credit: all photos by the crew of the Maersk Missouri

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