Missing since January dismasting in the Indian Ocean
A singlehanded sailor has been rescued after drifting in the Indian Ocean for 11 weeks in his 26-foot yacht.
Stig Lundvall departed Falmouth on July 20 last year, aiming for Australia or New Zealand, but his Marieholm 26 (like the one pictured) – a type of Folkboat – was dismasted on January 30.
However, the 66-year-old Swede has been picked up by a Greek ship, Proteus, more than 400 km (250m) east of South Africa after firing his last flare at the ship.
Danny Jenni of the South African Sea Rescue said: ‘Stig Lundvall has explained to the captain of the Proteus how he shot his very last flare when Proteus was roughly one nautical mile’s distance from him.
‘As luck would have it, it was the perfect time of the day, but it was the very last of the flare’s light that they saw aboard the Proteus, and then it became dark again.’
Until Tuesday Interpol listed Mr Lundvall as a missing person, as nobody had heard from him since he left Falmouth. A VHF was his only means of communication.
Picture courtesy of www.sailboatlistings.com
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