The World Cruising Club (WCC), organisers of the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers, has confirmed that 33-year-old Swedish sailor Dag Eresund was lost overboard from yacht Ocean Breeze on Monday, 2 December, at 02:27 UTC.
In a follow-up statement released on December 3rd, the WCC says MRCC Norfolk USA coordinated the search for the sailor, which involved Ocean Breeze, ARC yacht Leaps & Bounds 2, and motor vessel Project X.
Due to the incident's distance from land, Air cover was not possible.
With loss of daylight and in worsening seas, MRCC Norfolk ended the active search at 20:45 UTC on Monday 2 December.
MRCC has requested that all vessels able, should amend course to pass through the search area of 20o24.838N 043o11.623W and to keep a sharp lookout for any signs of a person in the water. All ARC yachts have been asked to assist with MRCC’s request.
This area will be amended over time to take account of drift rates and weather conditions. MRCC Norfolk will continue to provide updated coordinates.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with Dag Eresund’s family and friends and with all the crew members on Ocean Breeze at this unbelievably difficult time", the WCC said.
"We thank the skippers and crew of Leaps & Bounds 2 and Project X for diverting to assist in the search", the statement added.
The statement says World Cruising Club has the permission of Mr Eresund’s family to release his name.
"We have no additional information about the incident and will release further information as it becomes available", the statement ended
