US coastguard calls off search for Cork sailors

The US coastguard has called off its search for two Cork men blown from their racing yacht by waves off the California coast, saying the “window of survivability had passed”.

Alan Cahill from Blarney and Glounthaune native Elmer Morrissey were part of an eight-member crew racing around the Farallon Islands about 40km from San Francisco on Saturday when their yacht, Low Speed Chase, was forced onto rocks by massive waves.

Five of the crew were thrown overboard by the first 15ft (4.5m) wave. As the boat was turning to get them, a second, equally powerful wave flung all but one of the remaining crew members into the water and the yacht was forced aground.