Sailing Gentlyvideo
Helicopter Rescue
12 September 2021 · 22 min · 9K views · Lady Musgrave Island
What this video covers
A 36-ft GRP Moody sloop, *Bambola*, anchored in the lagoon at Lady Musgrave Island, Australia, survived a 70-knot north-easterly storm while two other vessels, the steel-hulled *Varney* and a Westerly ketch, dragged onto the surrounding coral reef.5:03 The *Bambola* held position using a CQR anchor, 50 meters of chain, and a heavy-duty snubber.4:06 During the storm, the *Varney* lost its anchors and attempted to tie to the *Bambola*’s stern, but the line snagged on a coral bommie and parted, leaving the *Varney* to drift onto the reef.6:49 The Australian Coast Guard, staffed by volunteers, initially refused to coordinate a rescue, forcing a nearby yacht to relay emergency calls to a helicopter service.9:09 The helicopter successfully airlifted the crews of both wrecked vessels to the island.12:56 The *Varney* later washed up on Curtis Island, where it was ransacked by locals who mistook the owner’s insulin needles for drug paraphernalia.17:56
Boats in this video
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