Hopes of finding Akhurst dashed

Press, 7 April 1987, Page 1

Hopes of finding Akhurst dashed

The search for the missing New Zealand yachtsman, Colin Akhurst, has been called off after a beacon from his yacht Castaway Fiji was recovered yesterday. A merchant ship Western Pacific picked up the Argos beacon at midday yesterday, dashing hopes that Akhurst may have clung to it for survival.

A search and rescue coordinator for the Federal Sea Safety and Surveillance Centre in Canberra, Mr Lofty Mason, said that although the air search had ended on Friday, some yachts had stayed in the area looking for the beacon. “There was a small chance he could have been with it,” Mr Mason said. “Now that it has been found, there is little point continuing the search. Any vessels passing through the area will keep a look out, but that is all.”

The beacon, thrown from the Castaway Fiji by

Akhurst’s yachting partner, Digby Taylor, was found 63 nautical miles off Townsville, on the northern Queensland coast.

Mr Mason said a lifebuoy also cut free by Taylor had not been found.

The yachtsmen were tossed overboard in heavy seas last Thursday after the vessel’s keel apparently snapped. They were competing in the Melbourne to Osaka yacht race.

The race news-media spokesman, Mr John Dickinson, said that from discussions with Taylor by radio from the Indonesian freighter Bungakesidang, he understood that the two yachtsmen had drifted away from the yacht after it overturned, but Taylor had managed to swim back and hold on to the rudder.

The mast of the yacht broke about 30 minutes later and the vessel floated back' into an upright position.