Portuguese coastline claims yachts

by BW Media on 7 Feb 2009 There's nothing more salutary to the yacht owner than seeing a yacht where it shouldn't be - on a beach, or worse, on the rocks. Wild winter weather across Europe has been wreaking havoc on yachts on the Portuguese coastline

This Dutch-owned yacht and a smaller North-American sailboat ran into trouble on Praia Grande, Ferragudo, when the boats were left anchored and unattended during the storm..

According to the owner of the 20-metre-long Mauritius yacht, which had come from Gibraltar, he had anchored his boat in the river 'with two anchors, but it was dragged to shore by the storm', ending up beached on Praia Grande. At the time it ran aground no crew were on board.

Less fortunate was a smaller sail-boat which was blown onto rocks off Praia Grande and was destroyed.

Eye witnesses say that, during the morning, after the two boats were beached and the Maritime Police arrived to cordon off the scene, sniffer dogs were brought out to check the beach and rocks.

The District Rescue Centre (CDOS) reported that incidents caused by the bad weather resulted in an incredible 478 members of various rescue services being called to respond.