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Cheeki Rafiki: Life raft found on damaged yacht Cheeki Rafiki: Life raft found on damaged yacht
(35 minutes later)
The wreckage of the yacht crewed by four British sailors missing in the North Atlantic was found with its life raft unused, the US Coast Guard says.The wreckage of the yacht crewed by four British sailors missing in the North Atlantic was found with its life raft unused, the US Coast Guard says.
The upturned hull of the 40ft Cheeki Rafiki was found on Friday but there was no sign of the crew. Their families have been told.The upturned hull of the 40ft Cheeki Rafiki was found on Friday but there was no sign of the crew. Their families have been told.
The men have been missing since they began taking on water as they sailed to the UK from a regatta in Antigua.The men have been missing since they began taking on water as they sailed to the UK from a regatta in Antigua.
The US search ended at midnight local time and the RAF will no longer go out.The US search ended at midnight local time and the RAF will no longer go out.
Earlier a US Navy warship discovered the wreckage in the North Atlantic ocean after the search for the missing men was resumed on Tuesday. Earlier, a US Navy helicopter crew discovered the wreckage about 1,000 miles (1,600km) east of Massachusetts after the search for the missing men was resumed on Tuesday.
The four-strong crew got into difficulties on 15 May in the Atlantic Ocean 620 miles (1,000km) east of Cape Cod. The four-strong crew got into difficulties in the same area on 15 May.
They were Paul Goslin, 56, from West Camel, Somerset; Steve Warren, 52, from Bridgwater, Somerset; skipper Andrew Bridge, 22, from Farnham, Surrey; and 22-year-old James Male, from Romsey, Hampshire.They were Paul Goslin, 56, from West Camel, Somerset; Steve Warren, 52, from Bridgwater, Somerset; skipper Andrew Bridge, 22, from Farnham, Surrey; and 22-year-old James Male, from Romsey, Hampshire.
No signNo sign
A surface swimmer identified the name on the back of the boat and knocked on the hull but there was no response, the coastguard said. A Navy boat crew was deployed after the sighting, the US Coast Guard said. A surface swimmer identified the name on the back of the boat and knocked on the hull but there was no response.
A spokesman said: "The US Coast Guard has confirmed the life raft aboard the capsized sailing vessel Cheeki Rafiki was secured in its storage space in the aft portion of the boat, Friday, indicating it was not used for emergency purposes."A spokesman said: "The US Coast Guard has confirmed the life raft aboard the capsized sailing vessel Cheeki Rafiki was secured in its storage space in the aft portion of the boat, Friday, indicating it was not used for emergency purposes."
There was no sign of the men and there are no further indications as to their whereabouts.There was no sign of the men and there are no further indications as to their whereabouts.
It added it did not perform salvage operations as a matter of policy.It added it did not perform salvage operations as a matter of policy.
Last Thursday, the yacht contacted Cheeki Rafiki's owners in Southampton to say they were taking on water and diverting to the Azores.Last Thursday, the yacht contacted Cheeki Rafiki's owners in Southampton to say they were taking on water and diverting to the Azores.
Contact was lost the following day and it is thought the yacht may have capsized. Locator beacons activated by the crew indicated they were in a position 1,000 miles east of Massachusetts on the morning of Friday 16 May. Contact was lost the following day and it is thought the yacht may have capsized. Locator beacons were activated by the crew on the morning of Friday 16 May.
'Cabin flooded''Cabin flooded'
When rescuers arrived on the scene on 23 May they found the cabin of the yacht was flooded and the windows shattered.When rescuers arrived on the scene on 23 May they found the cabin of the yacht was flooded and the windows shattered.
The yacht's keel was also broken, which had caused a breach in the hull, a US Coast Guard spokesman added.The yacht's keel was also broken, which had caused a breach in the hull, a US Coast Guard spokesman added.
An image showing the life raft still in position had been "shared with and acknowledged by the [men's] families", the Coast Guard said on Friday night.An image showing the life raft still in position had been "shared with and acknowledged by the [men's] families", the Coast Guard said on Friday night.
Foreign Office Minister Hugh Robertson expressed his "sincere condolences" to the men's families.Foreign Office Minister Hugh Robertson expressed his "sincere condolences" to the men's families.
"The UK government is grateful to the US Coast Guard and the Canadian search and rescue services for their efforts to locate the men," he added."The UK government is grateful to the US Coast Guard and the Canadian search and rescue services for their efforts to locate the men," he added.
"Their dedication has been unwavering, and they have done everything they could during the course of the search.""Their dedication has been unwavering, and they have done everything they could during the course of the search."
Mr Warren's family said in a statement: "We are very sad that the US has now suspended the search for Stephen and his friends.Mr Warren's family said in a statement: "We are very sad that the US has now suspended the search for Stephen and his friends.
"From the beginning we, together with the other families involved, have continued to hold out hope that he would be found alive.""From the beginning we, together with the other families involved, have continued to hold out hope that he would be found alive."
RAF searchRAF search
They paid tribute to the US Coast Guard for leading an "exceptional search", adding: "This is now an incredibly difficult time for all the family.They paid tribute to the US Coast Guard for leading an "exceptional search", adding: "This is now an incredibly difficult time for all the family.
"We would therefore request that we are given privacy to come to terms with today's decision.""We would therefore request that we are given privacy to come to terms with today's decision."
An RAF Hercules C-130 plane operating from the Azores had been due to keep looking for the yachtsmen on Saturday.An RAF Hercules C-130 plane operating from the Azores had been due to keep looking for the yachtsmen on Saturday.
But following the US Coast Guard announcement the Foreign Office said it would no longer search for the missing Cheeki Rafiki yachtsmen.But following the US Coast Guard announcement the Foreign Office said it would no longer search for the missing Cheeki Rafiki yachtsmen.
"In light of the US Coast Guard's decision to suspend their search for the crew following photographic confirmation that the life raft is in the hull of the boat, the C-130 will now return to the UK," it said."In light of the US Coast Guard's decision to suspend their search for the crew following photographic confirmation that the life raft is in the hull of the boat, the C-130 will now return to the UK," it said.
Tuesday's decision to resume the search followed an official request from the UK government.Tuesday's decision to resume the search followed an official request from the UK government.
An online petition, set up to put pressure on the US Coast Guard, had attracted more than 200,000 signatures.An online petition, set up to put pressure on the US Coast Guard, had attracted more than 200,000 signatures.