Injured crew members evacuated from Gold Coast Australia in Clipper Round the World Yacht Race

20-Feb-2012
Photo: Clipper Gold Coast Australia. Photo by Bruce Sutherland onEdition.

Gold Coast Australia, one of the ten 68-foot yachts competing in the Clipper 11-12 Round the World Yacht Race, has diverted to Taiwan to evacuate a crew member who broke his leg in the gruelling conditions the amateur teams are currently enduring in the race from Singapore to Qingdao, China.

Round the world crew member, Tim Burgess, 31, from Petersham, NSW, was on the foredeck changing a headsail when broke his left leg above the knee.

He was treated on board by fellow crew members, Deborah Grant from Malanda, and Deborah Miller from Surfers Paradise on the Gold Coast, both of whom are trained nurses back home in Queensland.

The high winds and heavy seas with waves of up to four metres made it impossible for the search and rescue helicopter and Taiwanese Coast Guard vessel dispatched to the scene to transfer the casualty from the yacht.

Tasmanian yachtsman, Richard Hewson, skipper of Gold Coast Australia, explained, “Unfortunately the helicopter could not effect a successful rescue and so a Taiwan Coast Guard vessel was dispatched. After attempting to come alongside the Coast Guard vessel I made the decision that the transfer would be too dangerous due to the wind, swell and sea state.”

As a precaution Richard decided to evacuate a second round the world crew member, Nick Woodward, 55, from Birmingham, UK, after he sustained a head injury when he was thrown across the crew accommodation in the rough seas.

“The force with which Nick hit his head on the lockers beside the bunk was enough to crack the plywood. There are no obvious signs of further injury however he still has a headache so we are evacuating him as a precautionary measure,” explained Richard.

Both are now in hospital in Taiwan, Tim and Nick’s families have been informed and the rest of the crew are safe. Gold Coast Australia has put back to sea and is resuming the race to China’s ‘Sailing City’, where the first yachts are expected to arrive this week.

Dutch entry, De Lage Landen, which was just eight miles from Gold Coast Australia when the incident happened, diverted to assist as they have two doctors among their international crew. The Race Office asked them to stay with the Australian yacht while plans for the medevac were put in place but the team has now resumed racing.

Richard adds, “I would like to offer my thanks to De Lage Landen for their support and wish them the best for the rest of the race.”

The Race Director would like to thank the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centres in Falmouth, UK, and Taiwan for their assistance.
For more information:
www.clipperroundtheworld.com