DPR 2/97 Monday, January 6, 1997

RAAF AIRCRAFT LOCATES UPTURNED YACHTS

RAAF PC-3 Orion aircraft has located one survivor and the upturned hulls of the stricken yachts, Amnesty International and Globe Exide Challenger, in the Southern Ocean about 1 300 nautical miles south-west of Perth.

The aircraft based at 92 Wing RAAF Edinburgh, in South Australia, sighted the yachtsman about 4 pm AEDT and dropped a raft to him. His identity is not known at this stage because the yachts are upturned, making it difficult to identify the vessels

Two distress beacons have been accounted for, with the remaining two still being investigated.

Meanwhile, the helicopter-equipped ship HMAS Adelaide, will leave its berth at HMAS Sterling base at 7 pm AEDT and steam towards the Southern Ocean to recover the yachtsmen.

HMAS Adelaide, a guided missile frigate, is expected to arrive about midnight on Wednesday (January 8).

Four of the 11 Orion crew that sighted the upturned yachts were also involved in the rescue operation which saved solo yachtsman Raphael Dinelli from almost certain death in the Southern Ocean about 1 200 nautical miles south- west of Western Australia on Boxing Day. He was knee-deep in sub-zero seawater on the deck of his sinking yacht when the crew dropped a lift raft to him.

Navy and Air Force help is being provided in response to a request from the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre in Canberra.

Further information:

Colonel Andrew Reynolds: (06) 265 2376 (b/h)