Sea tragedy that should never have happened

At exactly 12.55 p.m. on Monday, August 13th, 1979, a warning was issued by the British Meteorological Office of a force 8 gale off the south coast of England. Five minutes later, 330 vessels swept out from the Isle of Wight into a storm which would claim at least 15 lives.

Why the Fastnet race went ahead in such conditions remains contentious. Also contentious is why many yachts patently unprepared for stormy weather were allowed to compete.

An inquiry after the race led to stricter entry conditions, governing yacht design and safety. No one was singled out for blame, however, with survivors and organisers sticking to the defence that the sport had its inherent risks.

Yet, two decades later, there remains a feeling that it was a tragedy which should never have happened.

Within 12 hours of the race beginning, the first distress calls were made. It was past midnight and the field of 54 yachts in the Admiral's Cup were approaching the Fastnet Rock, round which they were to circle under race rules before sailing back to Plymouth.

The remaining vessels, carrying spectators and competitors in the lesser Fastnet race, trailed some distance behind.

As the gales rose to force 10, the Mayday calls increased. One came at 2.25 a.m. from the Irish yacht Regardless, owned and skippered by a Cork businessman, Ken Rohan. The Baltimore lifeboat responded under its coxswain, Christy Collins, and his crew, which included 70-year-old Paul O'Regan. Their actions were later praised by Mr Rohan as "simply heroic".

Assisting Irish and British airsea rescue services were frigates and other vessels, including the Irish Continental Line ferry, St Killian, with 600 passengers on board. It stood by a British yacht in difficulty until it was taken in tow.

Among the boats hit by the storm was Morning Cloud, owned and skippered by the former British prime minister, Edward Heath. After being towed to safety, he declared it was the worst experience he had ever had.

By nightfall on Tuesday nine bodies had been recovered. Two had been picked up by a Dutch frigate. One yachtsman had been rescued by helicopter, only to die in hospital in Cornwall.

Only 185 of the 330 starters had been accounted for, with 19 yachts confirmed sunk or abandoned.

The search for survivors continued over an 8,000-mile area, and a shocked public followed it every inch of the way.

"Horrific tales", as The Irish Times put it, were relayed by survivors, tales "of yachts being tossed up and down in mountainous seas like corks, of turning turtle not once but several times, of abandoned yachts crashing into one another, of sailors being swept away from their companions, of rudders breaking down and masts crashing down, of rudderless and often crewless boats drifting aimlessly, of 40foot-high waves and force 10 and 11 gales and of yachtsmen hanging on and surviving only by their safety harnesses".

As the rescue effort continued, questions began to be asked about the suitability of many yachts for such a race. One RAF rescuer said only half of the fleet should have been at sea at the time.

The issue was raised in the House of Commons, and one Labour MP called for the "well-heeled, well-to-do people" who indulged in the sport to foot much of the rescue bill.

Despite the tragedy and chaos, the race continued, and the Australian entry Tenacious, skippered by Ted Turner - the future media mogul - was declared the winner of the Admiral's Cup.

Three Irish yachts which had been leading the race were forced to withdraw, depriving Ireland of its first victory in the race.

The final death toll came to 15, according to the official accident report by chief insurers Lloyd's. Others put it as high as 18 as a number of yachtsmen died later from exposure and injuries.