Cheeki Rafiki, Final Chapter

Upturned hull of the British yacht found last night 1,000 miles from Cape Cod with the life raft found undeployed aboard the flooded Cheeki Rafiki

The Coast Guard released a new statement saying, poignantly: ‘The U.S. Coast Guard has confirmed the life raft aboard the capsized sailing vessel Cheeki Rafiki was secured in its storage space in the aft portion of the boat, Friday, indicating it was not used for emergency purposes.

‘A U.S. Navy warship smallboat crew and surface swimmer captured underwater imagery clearly identifying the raft in its storage space. The image was shared with and acknowledged by the families.’

Cheeki 01

Hopes ended: In this photo provided by the United States Navy, the overturned hull of the Cheeki Rafiki is seen 1,000 miles east of Cape Cod, Massachusetts. The crew never managed to launch their life raft

Cheeki 02

Damage: Navy crews observed that the sailing vessel’s windows were smashed and the keel broken off, causing a breach in the hull

Cheeki 03

Distressing: The revelation that the lifeboat was not deployed effectively ends any last hopes of the families of the four men on board the boat that they might have somehow survived.

For earlier reports;

2 thoughts on “Cheeki Rafiki, Final Chapter”

    1. There was no diver onsite but a surface swimmer received no reply when he/she tapped on the hull.
      Using a remote camera, they found the life raft undeployed inside the vessel’s flooded cabin and no sign of the men or their bodies.
      Hank

      Reply

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