Skandia Team GBR

Monday, July 30, 2007

More Bad News... Abersoch Laser 4000 Death

Flamin' hell... this is really sad...and worrying, kinda thing that makes you go goose-bumpy and tearful...

I don't know who of my saling friends is up at the Laser 4000 National Championships at Abersoch, Gwynedd, but it was just on the BBC website that a man and woman competing in the Laser 4000 Nats were picked out the sea at 3:15pm this afternoon but they were unable to resuscitate the man....

The web cams on the yacht club site are showing blue skies and light winds so I really havent a clue what happened...

This is very sad news, he hasn't been named yet, but to his sailing partner and his family and friends may I please offer my sincere condolences from the sailing community....

If I find out any further details, I'll update this post...

[UPDATE] More news on the BBC, it looks like it is a suspected drowning under a capsized Laser 4000; this is deeply tragic and a very rare occurrence, no name has been released as yet, the organisors are contemplating canning the event and an investigation will occur.


[Update 2] More news, the guy was apparently from Banbridge, County Down. A minute's silence was held at 1000 BST and a black flag raised as a mark of respect for the man, his name hasn't been released as yet.



South Caernarvonshire Yacht Club said it had been a difficult decision but they had decided to go ahead with two races in the championships on Tuesday



Again, our condolences and thoughts go out to the man's family, fellow competitors and friends...




[Update 3] Thanks Tillerman for pointing me back to the Yachts and Yachting Announcement for further details, they have just released that the man who tragicaly died was Tim Atkinson, 48.

Let me pass on the sailing-blogospheres deepest sympathy to the Atkinson family and his friends, colleagues and fellow sailors, you are all in our thoughts....


1 comment:

Tillerman said...

The man was Timothy Atkinson, 48, from Banbridge, County Down. He had recently retired after completing 30 years of service as a police officer