Moorings/Sunsail 444 Catamaran late on delivery to Cape Town

[Matthew Thomas]

Hi all

Please keep an eye out for a new Moorings/Sunsail 444 Catamaran that is currently on delivery to Phuket.

Last known position from last time their Iridium phone was used is as follows: 18-Jan-15 26 30' S 80.00 E 2 374 nm from Phuket.

There was a cyclone that passed through the area and it is understood that they might have had some damage, but are okay.

Iridium phone has not been switched on since and MRCC has already been informed.

Vessels call sign is ZR 6016
MMSI no: 601201600

Vessel is a White 44 ft Catamaran (with Sunsail Branding) http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/pho...yandy66563.jpg

3 persons onboard

Have attached a Google Earth file

[steve_h]

Hoping there is a happy outcome

[Matthew Thomas]

This vessel is still not accounted for and here is the latest information from RCC Australia who is leading the SAR Operation

UNCLAS
SUBJ: OPERATIONAL SITREP ONE - SAILING VESSEL MOORINGS / ZR6016
AUSSAR: 2015/1111

1. JRCC AUSTRALIA CONTINUES TO COORDINATE THE SAR RESPONSE FOR SAILING VESSEL MOORINGS / ZR6016, WITH 3 POB OVERDUE ON VOYAGE FROM CAPE TOWN TO PHUKET. THE VESSEL DEPARTED CAPETOWN ON 15 DECEMBER 2014, WITH AN ESTIMATED TIME OF ARRIVAL AT PHUKET MID FEBRUARY 2015. THE VESSEL LAST MADE CONTACT VIA SMS ON 18 JANUARY 2015. THE SAILING VESSEL REPORTED ITS POSITION AS 26-04S 081-01E AT 180001UTC JAN, AND THIS IS SUPPORTED BY IRIDIUM SIGNALTRACE AT THIS TIME. THE VESSEL HAS NOT BEEN HEARD FROM SINCE.

2. TARGET DETAILS:
11.7 METRE SAILING CATAMARAN
COLOUR: WHITE

COMMUNICATION EQUIPMENT:
VHF RADIO - YES
HF RADIO - NO
INMARSAT C - NO
SATELLITE PHONE - YES - IRIDIUM +88 1631 578 955

EMERGENCY EQUIPMENT
EPIRB - YES - HEX ID CB29D71D70D34D1
LIFERAFT - YES - 12 PERSON LIFERAFT - VIKING BRAND THROW OVERBOARD TYPE

CREW:
SKIPPER: ANTHONY MURRAY
CREW: JARYD PAYNE
CREW: REGINALD ROBERTSON

3. JRCC AUSTRALIA CONSIDERS THE VESSEL OVERDUE. AN URGENCY BROADCAST TO SHIPPING HAS BEEN ISSUED. IT WILL REMAIN ACTIVE UNTIL THE END OF MARCH AT WHICH TIME IT WILL BE RE-EVALUATED.

4. DUE TO THE SIZE OF THE SEARCH AREA (OVER 2 MILLION SQ NM) AND THE DISTANCE OFFSHORE (OVER 2 000NM) THE AREA IS IMPRACTICABLE TO SEARCH BY AIRCRAFT. JRCC AUSTRALIA HAS INVESTIGATED SATELLITE INTERROGATION OF THE SEARCH AREA, HOWEVER DUE TO THE SIZE OF THE TARGET, RESOLUTION OF SATELLITE IMAGES AND SIZE OF THE SEARCH AREA, THIS TOO IS IMPRACTICABLE.

5. REQUEST ALL RESCUE COORDINATION CENTRES REVIEW CURRENT BROADCASTS FOR CONSISTENCY WITH THIS MESSAGE AND CONDUCT PORT CHECKS TO DETERMINE IF SV MOORINGS HAS DIVERTED.

6. FOR OPERATIONAL MATTERS, JRCC AUSTRALIA REMAINS POINT OF CONTACT, EMAIL RCCAUS(AT)AMSA.GOV.AU. FOR OTHER MATTERS, THE POINT OF CONTACT IS MR ALAN LLOYD, OPERATIONS MANAGER - ALAN..R.LLOYD(AT)AMSA.GOV.AU

REGARDS
JRCC AUSTRALIA

[Matthew Thomas]

TOMNOD has launched a satellite imaging campaign to find these crew. You can help! We need as many people as possible scanning the available images.

Tomnod

[Auzzee]

Thanks for that Matthew. There will not be much of a written response here because there is little that needs to be said. However, I am sure many of our members will assist wherever possible and I know that all of those who belong to this site and who sail will be praying for a happy outcome.

[captainmorgan1974]

hi guys have you heard anything further about the missing yacht? i have tried finding out from our local sources and no one seems to have any info? very sad indeed! we can only keep praying that there is a positive outcome here.

[Matthew Thomas]

Sadly, we have heard nothing, even after an extensive TomNod campaign. Research shows they sailed very close to Cyclone Bansi and it is presumed that while there is still an outside chance that they're alive somewhere, it is unlikely at this point.

Very sad indeed!

[captainmorgan1974]

very sad news on news24. it would appear as if a ship has spotted an upturned hull 1078 miles east of Mauritius very sad indeed!

[Matthew Thomas]

At this point, all vessels transiting the area have been asked to keep a good look out and report if seeing the hull again.

Hopefully someone will place a radar reflector on it.

[captainmorgan1974]

hi Mathew has any attempt currently being made to salvage the vessel?

[Matthew Thomas]

Short answer is no.

The vessel needs to be spotted again and it's drift pattern established first.

It would also be useful to have a radar reflector attached to it.

[angelina1]

Taken from Facebook "Searching for Anthony, Reg & Jaryd":

We have launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise the funds needed to urgently get to the upturned hull that was sighted on May 21st and again on Friday June 5th. The ship that made the most recent sighting - which was at 27 51.7S 063 01.6E, 552NM SE from Reunion Island - was asked by MRCC Cape Town to return to the location on humanitarian grounds. The Master agreed to return, to place radar reflector on the catamaran as well as identify the hull and d...o further checks for signs of life. The families are deeply grateful for the Master’s actions in this regard, however very bad weather in the region made it hard for the merchant ship to re-locate the hull and it had to return to its course. The families are desperate to reach the upturned hull and are now raising funds to assist in this, as well as other costs associated with this traumatic and ongoing event, among them legal costs.......

[JohnT]

Some more on this incident:

Bigger Than The Weather

[Alec]

Sad story. These men and their family & friends deserved better!