Sailor swept to death in Round the World Race

A RETIRED lawyer who paid £45 000 (R830 000) to take part in a round-theworld yacht race has died after being swept overboard as he helped change a sail.

Simon Speirs, 60, became separated from the 22m boat despite being attached to it by a safety tether, which appeared to fail when he was washed into the sea.

At the time, the crew were battling to maintain their course between South Africa and Australia when they encountered a force eight gale.

Speirs went overboard from the foredeck of the ocean racer on the sixth day of the leg of the Clipper Round the World Race as he assisted with a headsail change aboard the yacht Great Britain.

Despite being hauled back on board within 36 minutes and being administered CPR, he never regained consciousness. He is the third sailor to die during the gruelling challenge in the past two years.

Last night, his family said his safety harness had appeared to fail.

“He died doing what he loved and had dreamt of doing for so long,” the family said.

Speirs, a retired property solicitor from Bristol, was one of six crew members on board who are completing an entire circumnavigation of the world.

A keen charity fundraiser, his love for sailing stemmed from following the exploits of celebrated yachtsmen Sir Francis Chichester, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston and Sir Chay Blyth.

Less than a fortnight ago, he wrote a blog about his “amazing” experience.

“So, am I having fun? Yes, I think so, although it is very hard work and not as unalloyed pleasure as my armchair anticipation hoped for,” he wrote.

“That said, it is an amazing experience and one that one could never experience in any other way.”

Knox-Johnston, who co-founded the race, said: “All we know is that he was tethered on and that something has gone wrong.”

Speirs, a father of three and a sailor with 40 years’ experience, was given a sea burial as requested by his family.

The Marine Accident Investigation Branch is investigating. – The Telegraph