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.

It is understood Mr Perrin and his friends attempted to swim to shore as the boat drifted, but he could not make the distance.

The dead man was an experienced yachtsman. His body, which was found about 300m off Sherkin Island on Thursday morning, was taken to Cork University Hospital, where an autopsy took place that night.

The three abandoned the capsized Drascombe Lugger vessel, but only two of them managed the 1km swim to the north-west corner of Castle Island.

The pair spent the night on cliffs on the island but due to their high location, search teams had been unable to detect them earlier. They were found at 6.15am on Thursday.

After a medical assessment by the inshore lifeboat crew, the Shannon-based Helicopter Rescue 117 lifted the couple. It is understood they suffered minor injuries.

The upturned yacht was found aground on the western tip of the Southern Carthy Island later. It may have drifted for up to 6.5km from west of the area known as Amelia Rock.

According to the RNLI, the Drascombe Lugger, a day sailing boat, is popular in the area. Just last week, 20-30 of the boats had been in Schull for a Drascombe Lugger rally around West Cork islands and coast.

Lifeboat crews recovered the man’s body nearly 12 hours after the search began at 9pm on Wednesday.