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Sailor dies during Atlantic rally
Las Palmas de Gran Canaria -- A British sailor has drowned during a rally designed to help amateur sailors cross the oceans in safety. Phillip Hitchcock, 47, was sailing aboard the Formosa 51 Toutazimut in the annual Atlantic Rally for Cruisers (ARC), organised by World Cruising Club, when he was knocked overboard by the boom in the mid-Atlantic on Saturday. Hitchcock was sailing with his 52-year-old brother David and was believed to have been attached to the yacht by a safety harness at the time. It is understood an attempt was made by his brother to get him back onboard using a recovery sling, but according to World Cruising Club: "The equipment may have broken as he was trying to get him back on board. Details are sketchy." The reports suggested that David Hitchcock slowed the boat down, but was unable to recover his brother for at least half an hour. Phillip Hitchcock was thought to have died in the water while still attached to the boat. After a mayday signal from the yacht was picked up by Falmouth Coastguard, England, other yachts in the rally were immediately redirected to the area of Toutazimut's position. Additional crew from competing yacht have been transferred to Toutazimut for the remainder of the crossing. Singlehanded sailors are not allowed in the ARC, but there has been a growing number of yachts entered in the two-handed category with a record 20 entries this year. At the time of the accident conditions were described as windy and rough, with big seas and 30 knots of wind. Andrew Bishop, general manager of World Cruising Club, said: "We are deeply saddened at the news of Phillip Hitchcock's death. The family have been informed and we will be doing every thing we can for them at this difficult time." The death was the first fatality in the 17-year history of the ARC, which annually sees more than 200 yachts sail from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria to the Caribbean island of St Lucia. The ARC was conceived as a friendly race for cruising yachts to make the Atlantic crossing to the winter cruising grounds of the Caribbean both safer and more enjoyable. All participating yachts must carry a full set of safety equipment including a liferaft, emergency signal beacon and VHF radio and undergo safety checks. There is a wide-ranging programme of seminars on navigation and safety before the start and daily radio calls during the race when yachts report their positions contribute further to safety. Since its inception in 1986 the ARC has become the most popular way to cross the Atlantic, encouraging thousands of amateur crews to make their first ocean crossing. The ARC rally is now the largest trans-oceanic sailing event in the world. For 2002 over 1,200 crew in 225 yachts left Las Palmas de Gran Canaria on November 24 on the 2700-nautical mile passage which should take between 12 and 24 days.
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