The survivors told the Coast Guard they were forced to evacuate the sail boat after it took on water and capsized, USGS Capt. William Diehl told CNN “The flooding was so fast that the thing flipped over,” Although the sailing boat was well stocked with nautical safety equipment - including life jackets, tracking beacons, life rafts, and buoys - the sailing boats crew were only able to find four life jackets before the boat turned over.
The sailing boat crew were a close knit group, a fact born out by the way the acted when the boat capsized, when ” they went into the water, they had four life jackets among the five, and they huddled together and they exchanged the life jackets among them so that they could stay afloat,” Diehl said.
The sailboat, named Cynthia Woods, was one of about twenty-four boats sailing from Galveston, Texas, to Veracruz, Mexico, for the annual Veracruz Regatta race. The crew were all experienced sailors and sailing was a big part of each sailors life, which makes this makes this accident even more sad and tragic.
The thoughts and prayers of the sailing community and the world in general go out to Roger Stone’s family. I personally will also be saying a prayer for the rest of the crew of the sailboat Cynthia Woods, for the loss of their friend and colleague.
