French warship rescues family on dismasted yacht
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French seamen on a New Zealand-bound warship have rescued one of Auckland’s top medical specialists and his family from their dismasted yacht 375 kilometres north of North Cape. .
On a medical website Dr Bradfield lists his interests as “Sailing, Sailing, Sailing, Sailing, making children.
The yacht ran into the storm that caused foul weather across the North Island last weekend and knocked three yachts out of the Auckland to Noumea yacht race.”
The family left Auckland in May and stayed in Tonga before setting sail for home last week.
The New Caledonia based 55-metre patrol boat La Glorieuse, which was on the way to Auckland, was guided to the scene by the Hercules.
Dr Bradfield activated his distress beacon yesterday afternoon and an RNZAF Hercules flew to the scene, reporting the yacht had dismasted.
Sailors onboard the 55-metre patrol boat La Glorieuse found their 12.
The yacht had become dismasted, its rigging tangling around the rudder and keel while travelling from Tonga to New Zealand.6m sloop Carenza at 10pm yesterday, about five hours after the yacht’s captain had activated an emergency beacon.
No-one had been injured, Rescue Co-ordination Centre New Zealand search and rescue officer Christine Wilson said.
Surviving yachts in the Noumea yacht race were alerted to be aware of La Glorieuse cross the fleet’s path.
La Glorieuse rescued the family and was ordered to sink Carenza because it was a hazard to shipping.
The warship stayed alongside the yacht overnight, evacuating the New Zealand-resident family about 7am today.
La Glorieuse is due in Auckland on a scheduled visit tomorrow morning.
La Glorieuse is due in Auckland on a scheduled visit tomorrow morning.
“It’s a long way.
“We’ve had a reasonable day with a few showers -somehow this time the trip feels a lot slower and we are keen to be home,” Dr Bradfield said.
“This dead downwind sailing under head sail – although easy – has an unpleasant motion, and the kids have spent most of the day sleeping with the lethargy that comes with a bit of sea illness.
“We are looking forward to a more northerly wind shift tomorrow and an increase in boat speed.
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Josh added on the blog that time was going slowly: “only 3 things to do on board, sleep, stare aimlessly at the empty horizon or cough up your guts overboard