Cork Is Sunk
From the AP – An Irish racing yacht that sank in Indonesian waters prompting a dramatic rescue of 16 crew members cannot be recovered from the depths, race organisers have said.The Cork Clipper, which was taking part in the Clipper round the world contest, went down earlier this week when it was holed on a submerged reef near the island Gosong Mampango in the Java Sea, 200 miles north-east of Jakarta.
The British, Irish, Australian and Chinese crew abandoned the stricken 68-foot vessel in life rafts and headed for nearby rocks. They then waited to be picked up by two of their fellow racing yachts – the California Clipper and Team Finland. Ocean surveyors and salvage experts have now advised that the boat, the Irish entry in the race, is too badly damaged to attempt to float it off the reef.
Race organiser and legendary round the world sailor Sir Robin Knox Johnston said: "It is with very great sadness that we have to accept that Cork Clipper will remain on the reef as we lose her to the sea. "This is the first loss Clipper has experienced in seven races and since the first race in 1996, more than two million miles of racing has been safely and successfully completed.
