RICHARD
06-12-2007, 09:17 PM
Rescued 4,000 miles from home - by neighbour
A yachtsman put out a desperate SOS in the Caribbean - and was rescued by a neighbour.
John Fildes, 32, had been adrift for two days after losing his mast in a storm 4,000 miles from home, reports the Sun.
He had gone 48 hours without food and was on the verge of sinking in 20ft waves when his call was picked up.
He was hauled aboard just 90 minutes later - to find that the captain was a neighbour from his Hampshire village of Warsash.
Alistair Clark, 50, skipper of the 116,000-ton superliner Crown Princess, had recognised the name of John's 40ft trimaran Dangerous When Wet.
Speaking from a hotel in Boston, John said: "It was an incredibly delicate operation because of the sizes of the two vessels and the stormy sea.
"When I got on board Captain Clark said he lived just round the corner from me. We knew each other by sight but now we are obviously very good friends. When he gets back he promises to pop over for a cup of tea.
"What are the chances of being rescued in the middle of nowhere by your neighbour?"
Dad-of-two Captain Clark said: "I was glad to be of assistance and welcome him on board. It's quite a coincidence and it shows what a small world it is."
The liner dropped John off at San Juan, Puerto Rico. He had been sailing the £100,000 yacht from St Martin to the US.
-------------------------
My neighbors are about 40 feet away on either side of my house and they
wouldn't bother lending a hand in an emergency!
A yachtsman put out a desperate SOS in the Caribbean - and was rescued by a neighbour.
John Fildes, 32, had been adrift for two days after losing his mast in a storm 4,000 miles from home, reports the Sun.
He had gone 48 hours without food and was on the verge of sinking in 20ft waves when his call was picked up.
He was hauled aboard just 90 minutes later - to find that the captain was a neighbour from his Hampshire village of Warsash.
Alistair Clark, 50, skipper of the 116,000-ton superliner Crown Princess, had recognised the name of John's 40ft trimaran Dangerous When Wet.
Speaking from a hotel in Boston, John said: "It was an incredibly delicate operation because of the sizes of the two vessels and the stormy sea.
"When I got on board Captain Clark said he lived just round the corner from me. We knew each other by sight but now we are obviously very good friends. When he gets back he promises to pop over for a cup of tea.
"What are the chances of being rescued in the middle of nowhere by your neighbour?"
Dad-of-two Captain Clark said: "I was glad to be of assistance and welcome him on board. It's quite a coincidence and it shows what a small world it is."
The liner dropped John off at San Juan, Puerto Rico. He had been sailing the £100,000 yacht from St Martin to the US.
-------------------------
My neighbors are about 40 feet away on either side of my house and they
wouldn't bother lending a hand in an emergency!