Scallywag sailor John Fisher missing: search operations under way after man overboard incident on Hong Kong boat
The Englishman was reported by skipper David Witt to have gone overboard at about 9.42pm on Monday, Hong Kong time
Rescue operations are under way in the search for British sailor John Fisher, 47, who fell overboard from Hong Kong-owned boat Sun Hung Kai/Scallywag during leg seven of the Volvo Ocean Race from Auckland to Itajai.
Race Control confirmed a man overboard incident at 9.42pm (Hong Kong time) on Monday and that it was Southampton-born Fisher, a long-time sailing partner of Scallywag skipper David Witt.
The incident took place about 1,400 miles west of Cape Horn – from where the seven-boat fleet was set turn north on their way to Itajai in Brazil, having started from Auckland, New Zealand.
All other crew members are reported to be safe. Fisher was reported to have been wearing survival equipment when he went overboard.
The fleet is now in the hostile Southern Ocean, one of the most testing legs of the 11-leg race in which crews are facing cold weather, at times gale force winds, icebergs and rough seas.
“Given the gale force conditions it is not an option to divert any of the other six Volvo Ocean Race competitors, who are at least 200 miles further east and downwind of Team Sun Hung Kai/Scallywag, to assist in the search operation,” Race Control said in a statement.
