The 27-year-old Jamie Richard Butcher could only be rescued dead by the rescue workers. The other crew members survived the accident with hypothermia in a life raft.
The regatta yacht “Hooligan V” of the Max Fun 35 type apparently hit the keel on Saturday morning, February 3rd during a training run lost. The five-man crew managed to fire a signal rocket and release the life raft before the boat capsized. Four of the men, including skipper Edward Broadway, were just barely able to escape into the life raft. They were later picked up by the immediately alerted emergency services. However, any help came too late for fellow sailor Jamie Richard Butcher. Despite his life jacket, the young man could only be rescued dead from the cold waters. The sea rescuers of the coast guard and naval units were called up for the action. Search boats and helicopters were used
The exact causes of the accident and why the "Hooligan V" suddenly hit the keel has lost is not known at this point in time. Neither thatSo far, the skipper and the fellow sailors could be reached for information and comments. The MAIB (Marine Accident Investigation Branch) was called in to clarify the situation. The capsized boat was towed into the port of Plymouth for the investigation. The head of the authority expects not to go public with detailed information before the middle of next week
The tragic incident occurred about seven nautical miles south of Prawle Point, the southernmost tip of the Devonian countryside. Two weeks earlier, not far from the scene of the accident, the freighter “MSC Napoli” had drifted onto the coast in a storm and ran aground in an inclined position. Part of the cargo (approx. 250 containers) went overboard. Some of the lost containers were washed ashore, but many were driven out into the open water by the current. Whether the loss of the keel of the "Hooligan V" is related to this or whether the boat collided with a container floating below the surface of the water has not been confirmed or denied by the investigating authorities until the hour. It seems likely.
The "Hooligan V" is a fast 35-footer of the Max Fun type. The boat has Won the English IRM annual ranking under owner and skipper Edward Broadway in 2005 and won the “Round Britain & Ireland Race” last year in its class.