Help on way to Chichester

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32957, 1 July 1972, Page 1

Help on way to Chichester

(N.Z.P A.-Reuter —Copyright)

PLYMOUTH, June 30.

A Royal Navy frigate and a French weather ship were today on their way to help the 70-year-old transatlantic yachtsman, Sir Francis Chichester who has reported that he is ill.

Sir Francis Chichester (shown at left), who sailed alone round the world in 1966-67, has pulled out of the solo yacht race from Plymouth to Newport, Rhode Island, apparently because ill health which he suffered before the start has taken toll of him.

After eight days of silence, he was sighted heading back towards Britain two days ago, and last night signalled to a Royal Air Force reconnaissance plane: “I’m weak and cold.”

On board the Navy frigate Salisbury are a doctor and a team of yachtsmen ready to sail Sir Francis Chichester’s craft Gipsy Moth V back to England if the veteran sailor cannot continue. But the French weather ship France II was expected to reach him first.

The Associated Press said that when Sir Francis Chichester flashed the circling plane “I am weak and cold. I am weak and cold,” Gipsy Moth was making only about three knots, though sailing conditions were ideal.

Rescue Control said this morning that his speed had increased to five knots. Sir Francis Chichester also sent a message that he hoped his son, Giles, and a writer friend, John Anderson, would meet him in Brest, the French Atlantic port. Shipping was alerted. Rescue Control at first said that a United States freighter was

heading to his aid, but later said a confusion of signals had identified the French weather ship as American. Anxiety over Sir Francis Chichester, who won British hearts and was knighted by the Queen for sailing round the world alone when he was aged 65, overshadowed the general progress of the transAtlantic yacht race. Latest reports put the ketch British Steel, crewed by Brian Cooke, in the lead on the 2810 mile Great Circle route. HALF-WAY British Steel was about halfway across, hotly pursued by a British cutter sailed by Martin Minter-Kemp. Communications from entrants were spotty. Many of the yachts carry no radio and 15 have neither been heard from nor seen since the race began 13 days ago. Foremost among those unknown quantities were the race favourite, Vendredi 13 (Friday the 13th), of France, at 128 ft, the longest yacht in the race, crewed by Jean Yves Terlain, and the fancied American, Tom Follett, aboard the trimaran, Three Cheers.