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British Heart Foundation
9 August 2004
Reporter -
The BHF has saluted the courage of four British rowers who
had to be plucked to safety from the Atlantic Ocean during
a record-breaking bid to raise money for the charity.
The crew of the Pink Lady were attempting to cross the Atlantic
in a record-breaking 55 days to raise money for BHF. But their
bid was ended after 60ft-high waves caused by Hurricane Alex
snapped their vessel in half just 300 miles from home, west
of the Scilly Isles.
The four clambered into a liferaft, where they clung on for
six hours as waves continued to batter them, before a passing
freight ship answered their distress call and picked them
up.
They crew are now on their way back to England after the
Scandanavian ship, the Reefer, took them safely back to dry
land in southern Ireland.
BHF spokesman David Barker said: "We are extremely pleased
that they are safe and well. That's the most important thing.
"The BHF relies on donations to fund our work fighting
heart disease. But these men have put their own lives on the
line to raise money for us, and that's an incredible thing
to do. We salute their astonishing courage and bravery."
Even though the bid to break the record was ended, you can
still help the crew in their efforts to raise more than £50,000
for the BHF's work.
Former Royal Marine Mark Stubbs, 40, Times newspaper journalist
Jonathan Gornall, 48, ex-SAS man Pete Bray, 48 and navigation
expert John Wills, 33 (all pictured above) had hoped to break
the 55-day record set more than 100 years ago by two Norwegian
fishermen by crossing the Atlantic and arriving on mainland
Britain – Falmouth in Cornwall.
Their vessel was The Pink Lady, a 30ft high-technology carbon
fibre boat, light and designed for the job in hand - a
rapid 2,100 mile unsupported crossing of the North Atlantic
in conditions that can range from flat calm to raging seas.
Skipper Mark Stubbs said: "The BHF does a brilliant
job in encouraging people to make simple lifestyle changes
that can help improve their health, such as walking more or
incorporating more fruit and vegetables into their diet. We're
really looking forward to supporting the BHF.”
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