A website cameraman captured the moment when a yacht
and an oil tanker collided in the Solent during the annual Cowes Week
sailing regatta. Monday, 08.Aug.2011, 00:13 (GMT+3)
Two people were rescued from the sea after their yacht and an oil tanker collided, the coastguard said.
Solent Coastguard was alerted at 15:20 BST on Saturday that
the yacht Atlanta of Chester, taking part in the Cowes Week regatta, had
been involved.
The collision involved the tanker Hanne Knutsen off Egypt Point, Isle of Wight.
A Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) spokesman said: "Two
people were thrown overboard by the collision and the yacht lost its
mast and rigging."
Yacht towed
He added: "The Rhib Vigilant took one of the people back to
shore for medical attention whilst the Southampton patrol boat and
Hamble rescue took the second person to a waiting ambulance at Trinity
Pontoon.
"He was later discharged from hospital.
"The Marine Accident Investigation Branch and the MCA duty surveyor have been informed.
"The tanker continued to its destination at Fawley and the yacht has been towed to the UKSA berths at Cowes."
Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week said an official investigation on the incident will be carried out in due course.