Evacuated Clipper 07-08 crew member recovers in Brazil - Media

Evacuated Clipper 07-08 crew member recovers in Brazil

27 October 2007

Evacuated Clipper 07-08 crew member recovers in Brazil

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
1200 UTC, 27 October 2007

Sam Willis, the crew member on Hull & Humber in the Clipper 07-08 Round the World Yacht Race who was transferred to a Brazilian Navy warship to medivac him because of a suspected grumbling appendix is recovering after being treated hospital in Brazil.

Following tests doctors standing by to treat him at the Hospital Santa Rita in Vitoria on the Brazilian coast decided it was not necessary to admit him, concluding it is not appendicitis, but probably caused by something he ate.

British Consular officials and a member of the Clipper Race team met Sam in Vitoria and will stay with him until his father arrives on Sunday (28 October) morning. He is now en route from the UK.

The medivac was coordinated by the Clipper Race Office with assistance from external agencies, including Falmouth Coastguard and the British Consulate, the Brazilian Navy and Brazilian MRCC in Rio de Janeiro.

Clipper 07-08 Race Director Joff Bailey says, “I am very grateful for the support we have received from the Brazilian Navy, the port commander of Vitoria and the Brazilian MRCC in Rio. Without their help Sam would have taken a further 8 to 12 hours to reach expert medical care. The advice and support of the British Honorary Consulates in Salvador and in Vitoria has been invaluable and has made a difficult situation manageable. They should be very proud of the service they provide to British citizens abroad.”

He continues, “The UK Coastguard at Falmouth played an instrumental role in the situation by providing a link to medical advice that allowed a decision to be made. The experience of the skipper Danny Watson was evident as he handled the situation faultlessly, making the right calls at the right time to ensure the risks to Sam and the rest of his crew where minimised and dealt with rapidly. I am sure he will now be chomping at the bit to catch up the miles they have lost.”

The transfer took place at 2140 GMT 26 October 2007 and the warship headed for Vitoria on the Brazilian coast. An ambulance was there to meet Sam, 17, to take him to hospital where his condition was assessed. His father is now en route to Brazil and will meet him on Sunday. In the meantime a member of the Clipper Race team has travelled to meet him in Vitoria.

The crew member from Hull reported suffering from severe stomach pains on the second day of Race 3 from Salvador to Durban. At 1240 GMT on 25 October Hull & Humber’s skipper, Danny Watson, contacted the Race Office and Falmouth Coastguard to report the situation. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) referred the skipper to the duty consultant at the Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth who, at 1255 GMT, advised the skipper to monitor the patient, keep up fluid intake and to administer paracetamol and indigestion tablets if required. It was advised that if his condition had not improved in 12 to 24 hours, or if it deteriorated, the skipper was to contact the MCA again and seek further advice.

At approximately 0950 GMT on 26 October 2007 Falmouth Coastguard contacted the Clipper Race Office, stating Sam had a suspected grumbling appendix and that the advice from Queen Alexandra Hospital was to medivac him as soon as possible.

At 1000 GMT Race Director Joff Bailey spoke directly to skipper Danny Watson onboard Hull & Humber and advised them to stop racing and divert towards Vitoria, a small town on the Brazilian coast approximately 200 nautical miles away from the vessel at that time.

At 1025 GMT the Clipper Race Office informed the MCA Falmouth of the diversion.

Danny Watson confirmed at 1057 GMT that Hull & Humber was proceeding under motor to Porto De Vitoria, Brazil to evacuate crew member Sam Willis. “Sam is comfortable and has a sore upper right abdomen,” reported Danny. “We have a crewmember with him at all times to monitor his condition.”

Joff Bailey said, “Between Danny and the Coastguard the decision was made early this morning to remove Sam from the boat. Danny is a very experienced skipper and Sam could not be in better hands. I’m sure that Sam is disappointed but we could not take the risk of his condition worsening as the boats head out into the south Atlantic. I’m sure Sam will be back with us at a later stage of the race.”

In her blog from onboard Hull & Humber, fellow crew member Fiona Wright, 42, from Hebden Bridge, describes how the transfer took place.

“Shortly before 8pm, the ‘All hands’ call was made, the ship had been sighted and we needed to prepare for the transfer. As the vessel approached it was agreed on VHF that they would launch a RIB [rigid inflatable boat] to send over and collect Sam. Suddenly this was it, we had warship a few hundred meters away and a RIB by the starboard gate – it was time for Sam to go. All our training showed; we were efficient and professional. The emotion could come later; for now we had to get Sam safely into the RIB. The Navy team were excellent and pulled the RIB up to the side and held station as we manoeuvred Sam through the gate and into the RIB.”

With the transfer complete, Danny and his crew are continuing with the race to Durban, South Africa, a 4,100 mile journey across the south Atlantic. Race 3 from Salvador to Durban began at 1500 GMT on Wednesday 24 October. It is the second ocean crossing of the ten-month series, which started in Liverpool on 16 September and will finish in Liverpool in July 2008 and when the city celebrates its status as the European Capital of Culture.

As well as Hull & Humber, the international line-up competing in Clipper 07-08 includes Durban 2010 and Beyond, Liverpool 08, Nova Scotia, New York, westernaustralia2011.com, Jamaica, Uniquely Singapore, Qingdao and Glasgow: Scotland with style Clipper.

With 27 nationalities represented amongst the 400 race crew, Clipper 07-08 is a truly global event. Up to 17 crew members from varying backgrounds sail on each yacht at any one time and they all put their everyday lives on hold for up to ten months to take part in the Clipper Race.

The crews have spent the last months preparing for the race ahead and each one of them has completed comprehensive Clipper Training overseen by Clipper Chairman and legendary solo sailor, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston.

ENDS/

NOTES TO EDITORS

Video footage of the transfer of Sam Willis from Hull & Humber to the Brazilian Navy warship is available. It features an interview with Sam and commentary from skipper, Danny Watson.
To access it, please contact Heather Ewing, Communications Coordinator, on 07792 408 695

- Images from the Clipper 07-08 Round the World Yacht Race are hosted by World Wide Images on their online gallery at http://www.w-w-i.com/clipper_0708_race/. They are free for editorial use.

- The Clipper 07-08 Round the World Yacht Race started on 16 September 2007 in Liverpool. The race lasts ten months and takes in 35,000 miles of ocean racing. The overall race is divided into seven legs and a total of 14 individual races. Points are accumulated according to each race position, and the yacht with the highest total at the finish on 5 July 2008 wins the race trophy.

- For media information or to arrange interviews, please contact:

Heather Ewing, Communications Coordinator
Tel: +44 (0) 2392 526000 Mobile: +44 (0) 7792 408 695 Email:

- For further information log on to http://www.clipperroundtheworld.com