Officials set to begin investigation of sailing tragedy

Officials from the Marine Casualty Investigation Board arrived in West Cork to begin their probe into the sailing tragedy that took the life of a 66-year-old English man and forced his two elderly friends to swim a kilometre to shore.

Douglas Perrin died when his 5.5m yacht capsized off Schull on Wednesday evening. Mr Perrin had a holiday home at nearby Dunbeacon with his wife Judith who raised the alarm when he, and two friends who were staying at their home, didn’t return from a day sailing.

Marian Browne, aged in her 60s and her partner Pat Anwyl, in his 70s, were rescued by Schull Inshore Lifeboat 12 hours after the Zillah is believed to have overturned in what may have been a sudden squall on an otherwise calm Wednesday evening. They were taken to Bantry General Hospital where they were being treated for hypothermia.