Three elderly Australian men were forced to drift for over 4 days on a life raft near the Philippine Islands after their yacht was caught in storm Kai Tak. Unfortunately, by the time they did get rescued, one of the sailors was already unconscious. He never regained consciousness afterwards.
The 73 year-old Anthony Mahoney, 74 year-old Lionel Ansselin and 68 year-old Laurie Miller, all experienced sailors, had set out from Queensland, Australia on the 18m-long sailing boat Katerina for the Philippine island of Luzon.
Their journey would have taken no more than three days, but tropical storm Urduja (internationally known as Kai Tak) hit the area, stranding the men in a life raft offshore.
All three were lifted aboard, but Mahoney was already unconscious from dehydration. The journey to land took another six and a half hours. As a result, the 73-year-old yachtsman could not be resuscitated even in the hospital. The surviving men are now in the hospital.
By a tragic coincidence, Mahoney's wife also died three years ago in an accident while sailing near Malaysia.
For example, why an allegedly capsized 18 m long boat was found on the beach of a Philippine island in almost pristine condition.
In addition, the Philippine Coast Guard claims that the rescue operation was their initiative, but according to the fishermen themselves, they accidentally stumbled upon the drifting Australians.
Finally, how is it that the intelligence services of the two countries knew the location of the victims from the beginning, but help did not arrive until 4 days later?
Katerina is one of the boats built in a limited series designed by David Pedrick, who is the author of the »America's Cu «p boats . Once owned by US TV journalist Walter Cronkite, it was used to welcome former US President Bill Clinton and his family on board. The boat has crossed the Pacific Ocean and the Atlantic many times in its history.
