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Missing yacht: US Coast Guard continues search Missing yacht: MoD sends aircraft to help with search
(about 3 hours later)
The search for four British sailors missing in the Atlantic is continuing after it was called off on Sunday. The Ministry of Defence has sent a plane to help search for four British sailors missing in the Atlantic.
The US Coast Guard tweeted on Wednesday to say it had searched a total of 2,878 sq miles so far. The military aircraft took off early on Wednesday morning and is expected to reach the search area in the afternoon.
The 40ft Cheeki Rafiki was sailing back to the UK from a regatta in Antigua when it got into difficulties.The 40ft Cheeki Rafiki was sailing back to the UK from a regatta in Antigua when it got into difficulties.
The coastguard said it was currently battling against six-foot seas with winds speeds at less than 18.5km per hour. Defence Secretary Philip Hammond said he hoped the "extensive resources" at hand would enable the yachtsmen to be found "as soon as possible".
UK Ministers persuaded the US Coast Guard to resume the search on Tuesday after an official request from government. The US Coast Guard has resumed the search, which was called off on Sunday, following an official request from the UK government. It said it had searched a total of 2,878 sq miles so far.
The coastguard said it was currently battling against six-foot seas with wind speeds of less than 18.5km per hour.
The MoD confirmed a C-130 aircraft was deployed from RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire at 05:00 BST. It flew to Lajes in Portugal to refuel, before heading to the search area over the Atlantic.
The plane is expected to join the international search effort at around 14:00 BST.
"The RAF's contribution to the search operation for the four missing British sailors will provide additional capability and resilience to the resumed search led by US and Canadian forces," the defence secretary said.
"We all hope that the extensive resources being provided by our allies and the further support from the UK can help locate the missing yachtsmen as soon as possible."
'Difficult task'
The four missing crew members are Paul Goslin, 56, from West Camel, Somerset; Andrew Bridge, 22, from Farnham, Surrey, the yacht's skipper; Steve Warren, 52, also from Somerset; and 23-year-old James Male, from Southampton.The four missing crew members are Paul Goslin, 56, from West Camel, Somerset; Andrew Bridge, 22, from Farnham, Surrey, the yacht's skipper; Steve Warren, 52, also from Somerset; and 23-year-old James Male, from Southampton.
The rescue operation includes four sea vessels plus three aircraft, and further two boats and planes are en route to the area where the sailors are thought to have disappeared - approximately 1,000 miles east of Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Three planes and six ships had already been deployed to search the area where the sailors are thought to have disappeared - approximately 1,000 miles east of Cape Cod, Massachusetts.
Admiral Richard G Gurnon, president of the Massachusetts Maritime Academy, told the BBC the search from the planes and boats was an "extremely difficult task".
"The weather is nasty, rarely is it calm and flat," he said.
"And when you have four or five people staring out windows for four hours at a time looking for what is about the size of basketballs in the ocean, it's extremely difficult. It's tiring, so this is not an easy task."
Adm Gurnon, who has flown search planes himself, defended the coastguard's original decision to call off the operation, describing the organisation as "an extremely small outfit" faced with the huge costs.
The wife of one of the men said it had been an "emotional rollercoaster" since all contact with the crew was lost on Friday.The wife of one of the men said it had been an "emotional rollercoaster" since all contact with the crew was lost on Friday.
Cressida Goslin - wife of one of the crew - and other members of the men's families met with Foreign Office Minister Hugh Robertson on Tuesday afternoon before leaving for the US Embassy.Cressida Goslin - wife of one of the crew - and other members of the men's families met with Foreign Office Minister Hugh Robertson on Tuesday afternoon before leaving for the US Embassy.
'Followed procedures' He said the FCO had been pushing for the search to be continued since the weekend.
The US Coast Guard, which on Monday said the search would only be resumed if "new developments about the case" emerged, agreed to deploy rescuers at the request of the UK Foreign Office.
Mr Robertson said on Tuesday afternoon the Foreign Office had been "impressing on them the need to continue the search" since the weekend.
"They're human beings and they absolutely understand what is going through the minds of the families and the relatives of all those affected," the minister said after meeting men's families.
'Very positive''Very positive'
The Coast Guard's chief of media relations Carlos Diaz told the BBC: "There's no frustration about the search - our guys followed the procedures they had to follow at that time."
The US rescuers issued a video of a Coast Guard aircraft leaving North Carolina for Boston on Tuesday.The US rescuers issued a video of a Coast Guard aircraft leaving North Carolina for Boston on Tuesday.
Speaking outside the Foreign Office after what he described as a "very positive meeting", Graham Male - father of missing James - thanked the UK, Canadian and US authorities and urged people to continue signing an online petition which has attracted more than 200,000 signatures.Speaking outside the Foreign Office after what he described as a "very positive meeting", Graham Male - father of missing James - thanked the UK, Canadian and US authorities and urged people to continue signing an online petition which has attracted more than 200,000 signatures.
"Let's bring our loved ones home," he told waiting reporters."Let's bring our loved ones home," he told waiting reporters.
The racing yacht began taking on water 620 miles (1,000km) east of Cape Cod in Massachusetts and diverted to the Azores on Thursday.The racing yacht began taking on water 620 miles (1,000km) east of Cape Cod in Massachusetts and diverted to the Azores on Thursday.
Missing Mr Warren's son-in-law, Dan Carpenter, said: "We are holding out hope. We are aware that it is still a long shot but while there is some hope, we are concentrating on that."
'You never know''You never know'
The Americans had said the estimated survival time past the time of distress was approximately 20 hours and that their crews had searched for 53 hours.The Americans had said the estimated survival time past the time of distress was approximately 20 hours and that their crews had searched for 53 hours.
But the decision to resume searching came after family members insisted they could still be alive in the yacht's 12-man life raft.But the decision to resume searching came after family members insisted they could still be alive in the yacht's 12-man life raft.
Twelve-person life raftTwelve-person life raft
A raft, such as that on board the Cheeki Rafiki, is required to meet the international standard ISO 9650, which stipulates how the craft must be constructed and what it must have on board. The rafts are highly visible and buoyant and can be boarded quickly in an emergency.A raft, such as that on board the Cheeki Rafiki, is required to meet the international standard ISO 9650, which stipulates how the craft must be constructed and what it must have on board. The rafts are highly visible and buoyant and can be boarded quickly in an emergency.
More: How long can you survive on a life raft? Skipper Mr Bridge's grandmother, Valerie, said: "We are delighted. It is at least something and that is all we were asking for, all we wanted was another search.
Skipper Mr Bridge's grandmother Valerie said: "We are delighted. It is at least something and that is all we were asking for, all we wanted was another search. "It might not come to anything but people want them to do it and they are trying. It seemed too quick, just two days and we were saying, 'if only they could do it for a bit longer'. You never know what could happen."
"It might not come to anything but people want them to do it and they are trying. It seemed too quick, just two days and we were saying 'if only they could do it for a bit longer'. You never know what could happen."
Mr Goslin's daughter Claire, who on Monday made an emotional plea to the Americans, said she was "over the moon".Mr Goslin's daughter Claire, who on Monday made an emotional plea to the Americans, said she was "over the moon".
"I just hope and pray with all my heart that now they find them.""I just hope and pray with all my heart that now they find them."
Mrs Goslin, his wife, added: "It's been a complete emotional rollercoaster.
"The US wouldn't budge and then we thought they would, and then they wouldn't."
'Saturated area''Saturated area'
Tracy Edwards, who skippered the first all-women crew around the world, said the men had been failed by the coastguard. Tracy Edwards, who skippered the first all-women crew around the world, said the men had been failed by the coastguard, but that she was "absolutely delighted" the search had been resumed.
"I'm absolutely delighted they've resumed the search, appalled that it's taken the British public to force the prime minister to do something," she told BBC News.
The US Coast Guard said locator beacons activated by the crew indicated they were in a position 1,000 miles east of Massachusetts on Friday morning.The US Coast Guard said locator beacons activated by the crew indicated they were in a position 1,000 miles east of Massachusetts on Friday morning.
The yacht was facing 15ft waves, 50mph winds and sea and air temperatures of 15C (60F), the US Coast Guard added.The yacht was facing 15ft waves, 50mph winds and sea and air temperatures of 15C (60F), the US Coast Guard added.
A spokesman said over the weekend it had "saturated the area" in a two-day search of 4,146 square miles, involving three US and Canadian aircraft and three merchant vessels and "we would have found them" if it had been possible.A spokesman said over the weekend it had "saturated the area" in a two-day search of 4,146 square miles, involving three US and Canadian aircraft and three merchant vessels and "we would have found them" if it had been possible.
'Fly to the hull'
On Saturday, a cargo vessel which was helping with the search spotted and photographed an overturned hull which matched the description of the Cheeki Rafiki.On Saturday, a cargo vessel which was helping with the search spotted and photographed an overturned hull which matched the description of the Cheeki Rafiki.
Nicola Evans, a friend of Cheeki Rafiki's skipper Mr Bridge, said: "When we started this campaign, we didn't know who would listen, just that our boys were lost at sea and we refused to let go of hope."
But his sister Kay Coombes said: "It's a shame that it has taken this long for them to change their mind and go back out there.
"I feel that we may have wasted a couple of days."
Sir Ben Ainslie, the four-time Olympic yachting champion, said: "If there is a chance they are still out there, then we need to keep looking for them."
And Sir Richard Branson, who also backed the online petition, urged any vessels in the area to aid the mission.
"I would urge any local ships or merchant ships crossing the Atlantic, and boats returning from the Caribbean to Europe, to divert through the area and join the search party.
"As well as the need to conduct a private search on water, I believe that the coastguard now needs to fly to the capsized hull to determine whether or not the raft is still there."