18 sailors reach Norfolk Island after boat damaged
Jun 5, 2012, 1:03 AM
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) – Eighteen sailors whose yacht was badly damaged during a race from New Zealand to New Caledonia have reached the safety of remote Norfolk Island.
The crew on the 24-meter (79-foot) vessel Beau Geste contacted rescue teams Monday after the boat’s hull and deck were damaged during stormy weather about 100 nautical miles east of Norfolk Island. New Zealand’s Rescue Coordination Centre arranged for a fishing boat to accompany the sailboat as it limped to the South Pacific island overnight.
The crew includes New Zealanders, Australians, Chinese and one American, according to the center. The boat has anchored at a jetty because Norfolk Island, home to about 2,000 people, does not have a port or marina. The island is about 500 miles northwest of New Zealand.
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