What Crew Members Say About Watatsumi

In a dramatic turn of events on February 14, 2024, at 02:50 a.m. UTC, the Dutch yacht 'Phoenix' found itself in peril during the Global Solo Challenge. Skipper William MacBrien, navigating over 1,300 nautical miles west of Cape Horn and more than 3,000 miles from New Zealand, faced severe water ingress which prompted him to activate his Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB). The distress signal quickly made its way to the Dutch Coast Guard, which acted swiftly by notifying the Maritime Rescue Coordination Center (MRCC) in Punta Arenas, Chile. Meanwhile, the bulk carrier 'Watatsumi', en route from San Lorenzo, was identified as being approximately 300 miles away from William's location. The crew aboard 'Watatsumi' promptly altered their course to embark on a rescue mission that would take roughly 30 hours at a cruising speed of 10 knots. By 11:30 p.m. UTC, William communicated that he was in stable condition, having donned his Thermal Protection Suit, and was prepared to wait up to 24 hours for help. As dawn broke on February 15, the 'Watatsumi' was still 150 miles from the stranded sailor. At around 6:00 p.m. UTC, another distress signal was received by MRCC Chile, this time from a personal locator beacon (PLB). The intensity of tracking updates from the yacht was increased as the bulk carrier drew closer; the frequency changed from every 30 minutes to every 15 minutes when the vessel was 50 miles away, and finally every 5 minutes as 'Watatsumi' approached within 10 miles. By 10:42 p.m. UTC, the bulk carrier successfully reached the distressed yacht, and the captain established VHF communication with William. Shortly after, at 11:36 p.m. UTC, it was confirmed that William had been rescued. Following the successful operation, 'Watatsumi' continued its journey to Brisbane, with an estimated time of arrival on March 3. Remarkably, William had spent a grueling 46 hours adrift in his increasingly submerged vessel. For more details and photos of this courageous rescue, visit: https://globalsolochallenge.com/william-macbrien-watatsumi-en/