Yacht Abandoned in Indian Ocean

9:05 PM Tue 30 Dec 2008 GMT

'Generali being abandoned, not scuttled - Photo by Able Seaman Photographer Lincoln Commane.' Commonwealth of Australia 2008

Sailors in the Indian Ocean now have another potential hazard to worry about, the unlit hulk of the $6 million yacht Generali, from which French sailor Yann Elies was rescued on December 20 by the Australian Navy ship the HMAS Arunta 800nm south west of Perth.

Instead of being scuttled at the time of the rescue, it was left sailing in a north westerly direction, in the hope that two of his teammates could recover the yacht and sail it back to Perth.

However once the yacht's positioning beacon stopped and the automatically triggered distress beacon ceased a few days later, the recovery team, on their way towards the position by chartered fishing boat, abandoned their search.

Skipper Yann Elies was first treated by the Royal Flying Doctor Service (a Royal Sailing Doctor?) and then by the Perth Hospital, before returning to France.

The fate of the yacht is unknown - it might even end up on the east coast of Africa, so Indian Ocean cruisers, don't fall asleep on your night watches!

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Yacht Abandoned in Indian Ocean

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