A sailboat with six people faced severe weather near Corsica, prompting a daring rescue by SNSM Propriano. The crew had damaged sails and a propeller rope.
Sailboat in distress near Corsica
On Tuesday around 2:30 p.m., several witnesses alerted the SNSM Propriano Rescue Center and the CROSS Méditerranée in Corsica that a sailboat was in serious difficulty very close to the shore, near the tip of Capo Lauroso, in the commune of Propriano. Six people on board
Six people were on board, including two children, facing a particularly concerning situation as Corsica was under orange and red alert for violent thunderstorms, with weather phenomena that could rapidly intensify. Sailboat unable to maneuver
Contact was quickly established with the crew, who confirmed that their sails were torn and that a rope was caught in the propeller, making the sailboat impossible to maneuver. Crew prepared for rescue
The six occupants had already put on their life jackets and managed to lower the anchor, although they were not certain they could maintain their position given the weather conditions forecasted. Rescue boat deployed
Despite a particularly violent thunderstorm, the all-weather rescue boat SNS 17-07 "CYRNOS" from the SNSM Propriano Rescue Center was deployed. Rescuers secure occupants
On site, the rescuers secured the six occupants and set up a tow on the 9-meter sailboat.
