Long-Mei

Portuguese rescuers completed a rescue operation in the Atlantic 500 nm south of Azores, rescuing the crews of five distressed yachts in a strong storm. The operation was coordinated by the MRCC Ponta Delgada, and lasted from May 6, 2015, at 2 a.m. until May 7, 12 25 a.m. The French yacht "Rêves d'Ô," with four people on board, a man, his wife and two children suffered a fire and sank during the night time 550 miles SW of the Portuguese archipelago. The mother and a 9 year old boy managed to get into a life raft and were rescued by the bulkcarrier "Yuan Fu Star" (IMO: 9493585). The father and his six year old daughter were floating with life vests in the water and located in the morning at daylight. A survival kit was dropped off by the Portuguese Navy, and they were taken aboard the Spanish hospital ship "Esperanza del Mar" 7,5 hours after the sinking, but the child died of hypothermia short after noon. Two crew members of the "Manca 3" were rescued by the tank m/v "Archangelos Gabriel" (IMO: 9308998). Two crew members of the Dutch yacht "Gandul" were rescued by the "Cafer Dede" (IMO: 9365831). Four crew members of the Norwegian yacht "Kolibri" were rescued by a helicopter of Portuguese Air Force, after the boat had capsized. The Swedish flagged yacht "Missy 32" with a crew of two on board managed to get a distress situation under control and rejected assistance and rescue, resuming her voyage. All boats which were 500 nm south of the Azores in the Atlantic Ocean had issued distress signals in stormy weather.