The crew of the Pogo 44 HEAVEN (FRA) activated their man-overboard procedures when two crew members fell overboard on the Aegean 600 leg to Kassos.
One crew member was retrieved within 7-8 minutes and the other soon after. The team called for emergency help and a rescue helicopter was called to the scene.
However, the injured crew remained unresponsive to revival attempts so a Hellenic Coastguard vessel stepped in to accompany the boat to make port on Kassos. Efforts to revive the victim were unsuccessful.
“We believed our team mate was unfortunately hit by the boat’s rudder. We are devastated by this terrible accident.” said skipper Andrii Prokopenko.
The multi-national crew on board HEAVEN were reportedly struggling with their spinnaker in the late afternoon, when two crew members assisting on the bow fell overboard.
High winds of the Meltemi have taken their toll on the Aegean 600 fleet with 14 boats retired from the race.
