British yachtsman rescued by Chilean navy
SANTIAGO, Chile - A British yachtsman who was trying to sail by himself nonstop around the world has been rescued by Chile's navy.
The 54-year-old Andrew Halcrow, from Barra on the Shetland Islands in the far north of Scotland, was forced to give up his second attempt to circumnavigate the globe after the mast on his yacht broke in a storm west of Cape Horn. A Chilean naval helicopter flew him to the city of Punta Arenas on Sunday.
Halcrow made an emergency call on Saturday when the propulsion system on his yacht the Elsi Arrub failed, leaving him stranded in the Cabo Pilar area about 240 miles west of Punta Arenas.
Halcrow thanked the Chilean navy on Sunday and said he's in good health. In 2006, Halcrow had to quit his first solo round-the-world voyage when he began feeling sharp stomach pains.
Halcrow's wife, Allyson, told the Shetland Times that he had been confronted by terrible weather conditions."It's horrendous. It's very, very strong," she said of the storm. "Very strong winds at very high speeds."
In 2006, Halcrow had to quit his first solo round-the-world voyage when he began feeling sharp stomach pains.