# At least 5 boats in trouble near the Azores 1 death reported



## TQA (Apr 4, 2009)

The passage to the Azores this year has been pretty stormy with a nasty low passing closer by the Azores resulting in at least 5 maydays.

The Portuguese rescue services are doing what they can but were too late for one yacht that sank leaving a 6 year old in the water for several hours. She did not make it.

Of the others I believe that one has a broken mast and one a broken rudder.

There is a good video clip of several people being rescued by helicopter from what appears to be a Swan 42. Note how effective the dye marker is. Does not seem to be much wrong with the boat, mast is up, sails are there and the motor and steering is operative. Perhaps they had injuries.






There are comments that they had left too early and the June was the better time to go. Well those people should look at NOAA and note that we have the first named storm of the season heading NW from Florida.


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## MarkofSeaLife (Nov 7, 2010)

Its a very narrow window to do the Azores run. I think mid May to mid June. But if they are close to there now they have left late April or beginning of May.

See also last years devestating Azores run.

I am doing it next year and WILL NOT stop in the Azores. Its right in the path of every low from North America. My route direct from the Caribbean is the great curcle rout to Gib and takes me 300 nms south of the Azores. Yes, theres less wind and more on the nose, but one misses those storms.

There but for the Grace go us all. I heart bleades for the loss of a young child, and for the terror of each boat in trouble.


Mark


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## MarkofSeaLife (Nov 7, 2010)

Watching the video: the bravery of rescue people astounds me.

Note the boat when the last crew is in the water the boat rounded up and could have killed them.

Boat looked fine so it could have been a crew problem.

In the middle of the ocean it _feels_ like it. A lifetime away from anywhere.


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## MarkofSeaLife (Nov 7, 2010)

9 boats rescued near Azores

Sailboat crew caught in wave ?inferno?

Europe - French girl dies after sailboat capsizes off Azores - France 24


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## MarkofSeaLife (Nov 7, 2010)

Anoter articl about the 6 year old girls death

Girl who braved 33-foot Atlantic waves for hours dies | New York Post


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## miatapaul (Dec 15, 2006)

Well it is comforting knowing they are out there if you need them! My guess is that they were suffering from fatigue and just felt they could not go on.


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## chuck5499 (Aug 31, 2003)

We crossed over in 2013 and it is known that you simply do not go before May and as above maybe mid May. We left May 1 and had a good sail over all. But about a 7-10days before we left there was a potential window that we skipped but 3 boats took and disappeared. 
You simply have to be patient and wait knowing that April is not the time to take on the North Atlantic.


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