Update from the Atlantic Odyssey support team

On 30 January 2012 at 11.00 am the crew of Sara G who were taking part in the Atlantic Odyssey challenge to row from Morocco in North Africa to Barbados in the Caribbean capsized.

Its crew included Captain Matthew Craughwell, Ian Rowe, Aodhan Kelly, Simon Brown, Yaacov Mutnikas and Mark Beaumont – all six members were safely evacuated.

The crew were 27 days into their journey when the 36ft (11.1m) vessel overturned just 520 miles from the destination port of St Charles.

Sara G was hit by a large wave 1.5 minutes before the rowers completed their shift change which was performed on a two hours on – two hours off basis. The wave rotated the vessel 180 degrees causing it to immediately take on water causing it to capsize within ten seconds.

In the next fifteen minutes the crew secured the life raft and attached it to the boat. They set-off their alerting alarms which initiated a response from Falmouth Coast Guard.

The crew did try to recover the vessel but due to the speed of the water retention, this proved unsuccessful.

The crew spent approximately three hours recovering on the raft before Matthew Craughwell and Mark Beaumont returned to the vessel to recover equipment to aid the rescue attempt.

At 1.10am, the crew were rescued by the Nord Taipei, a Panamanian-flagged cargo ship and are proceeding to Gibraltar where they are due to arrive on February 9.

Matthew has managed to speak to the BBC. Listen to his interview here.

The Atlantic Odyssey team are safe. They were picked up by the Panamanian-flagged cargo ship Nord Taipei in a rescue co-ordinated with help from coastguards in Falmouth.

Whilst the base team are still waiting to hear from the crew members when further information about their ordeal can be obtained, it is known that they are currently en route to Gibraltar where they are expected in early February.

Earlier today the Sara G capsized. Whilst information is scarce at the moment the crew have managed to contact their shore contact. All crew are said to be safe and well, and tethered to the Sara G in a liferaft. A cargo ship is currently on route to pick up the crew with an ETA of 1.00am tomorrow.

Further information will be provided once they have been picked up and greater detail can be provided.

It was the turn of skipper Matt this morning to speak with Stuart and Natalie on the Heart breakfast show who was then joined with his wife Helen, he spoke about a strange occurrence last night with a plane flying over really low at around 4000ft which passed over the boat three times, Matt had no idea what it was doing and was petrified that the emergency beacon had gone off and they had sent an emergency plane to look for them.  Glad to report it had nothing to do with the crew of Sara G.  The skipper confirmed that at present they are nip and tuck with the world record, a few miles behind then a few miles in front, they hope to pull clear in the next seven days.  Listen to the full interview here.

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