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Displaying items by tag: 400 plus people rescued

#BusyBeckett - In the space of two days, LÉ Samuel Beckett has carried out three separate rescue operations involving more than 400 people in the Mediterranean off north Africa.

The first incident took place yesterday, almost 40 nautical miles off the Libyan capital, Tripoli, following a request from the Italian Maritime Rescue Co-Ordination Centre. This is where the Irish Naval Service OPV90 class vessel located and rescued a total of 299* migrants from three separate rubber vessels during search and rescue (SAR) operations.

The first rescue operation began at 08.50am and all migrants were taken on board LÉ Samuel Beckett by 12.15pm. The migrants received food, water and medical treatment where required.

On the previous day, Wednesday, LÉ Samuel Beckett carried out another SAR which saw 122* migrants from a rubber vessel again in the same area north east of Tripoli. The rescue operation began at 8.00am and all migrants were taken on board LÉ Samuel Beckett by 12.30pm. Likewise migrants recieved assistance including medical treatment where required.

LÉ Samuel Beckett transferred all rescued persons to the VOS Hestia. This vessel transported them to a port of safety and from there they were administered by Italian authorities.

*Figures for both SAR operations are provisional until confirmed by the Italian authorities.

Published in Navy

The Half Ton Class was created by the Offshore Racing Council for boats within the racing band not exceeding 22'-0". The ORC decided that the rule should "....permit the development of seaworthy offshore racing yachts...The Council will endeavour to protect the majority of the existing IOR fleet from rapid obsolescence caused by ....developments which produce increased performance without corresponding changes in ratings..."

When first introduced the IOR rule was perfectly adequate for rating boats in existence at that time. However yacht designers naturally examined the rule to seize upon any advantage they could find, the most noticeable of which has been a reduction in displacement and a return to fractional rigs.

After 1993, when the IOR Mk.III rule reached it termination due to lack of people building new boats, the rule was replaced by the CHS (Channel) Handicap system which in turn developed into the IRC system now used.

The IRC handicap system operates by a secret formula which tries to develop boats which are 'Cruising type' of relatively heavy boats with good internal accommodation. It tends to penalise boats with excessive stability or excessive sail area.

Competitions

The most significant events for the Half Ton Class has been the annual Half Ton Cup which was sailed under the IOR rules until 1993. More recently this has been replaced with the Half Ton Classics Cup. The venue of the event moved from continent to continent with over-representation on French or British ports. In later years the event is held biennially. Initially, it was proposed to hold events in Ireland, Britain and France by rotation. However, it was the Belgians who took the ball and ran with it. The Class is now managed from Belgium. 

At A Glance – Half Ton Classics Cup Winners

  • 2017 – Kinsale – Swuzzlebubble – Phil Plumtree – Farr 1977
  • 2016 – Falmouth – Swuzzlebubble – Greg Peck – Farr 1977
  • 2015 – Nieuwport – Checkmate XV – David Cullen – Humphreys 1985
  • 2014 – St Quay Portrieux – Swuzzlebubble – Peter Morton – Farr 1977
  • 2013 – Boulogne – Checkmate XV – Nigel Biggs – Humphreys 1985
  • 2011 – Cowes – Chimp – Michael Kershaw – Berret 1978
  • 2009 – Nieuwpoort – Général Tapioca – Philippe Pilate – Berret 1978
  • 2007 – Dun Laoghaire – Henri-Lloyd Harmony – Nigel Biggs – Humphreys 1980~
  • 2005 – Dinard – Gingko – Patrick Lobrichon – Mauric 1968
  • 2003 – Nieuwpoort – Général Tapioca – Philippe Pilate – Berret 1978

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