Two other casualties stay on board


Two of the four injured sailors on the Clipper Round The World yacht Geraldton Western Australia have been transferred to a US coastguard cutter.

Jane Hitchens, 50, from Kent, who is the yacht’s on-board doctor, and Nik Brbora, 29, from London, are expected to reach land at 1630 BST today.

Ms Hitchens has suspected broken ribs and is being treated with oxygen and Mr Brbora has a suspected pelvic strain.

Both were injured, along with two other crew members, when a huge wave crashed onto the yacht 400 miles off the Californian coast.

Race director Jonathan Bailey told BBC Breakfast that both were ‘stable’ and would head to hospital to be checked out.

Mr Bailey said: ‘Jane is the one we’re probably most concerned about although I don’t believe it’s life-threatening, but she is struggling to breathe a little bit and is requiring oxygen.’

The rest of the crew, including Mark Burkes, from Worcestershire, who injured his back and Max Wilson, from Queensland, Australia, who has suspected broken ribs, are racing towards the leg’s finish in San Francisco, where they are expected to arrive in two days.

Four Clipper crew members hurt.