January

Captain Calamity is rescued nine times in seven months 

71-year-old Steve Shapiro, who was dubbed ‘Captain Calamity’ by the media, and his crew mate Bob Weise, hit the headlines after being rescued so many times during their voyage from Scandinavia to America.

In the end their trip in Nora, their 40-foot yacht, was abandoned in Cornwall, after they were rescued three times by the county’s RNLI.

In the final incident, the pair’s boat tipped over in Hayle Harbour and caught fire due to a candle not having been blown out properly.

Nora has now been sold.

Read: Captain Calamity is rescued nine times in seven months 

 

February

Alex Thomson’s abandoned Hugo Boss yacht found after 10 years

The yacht that skipper Alex Thomson abandoned in the Southern Ocean in the 2006-2007 Velux 5 Oceans Race was discovered on a remote South American beach.

Cristian Donoso found the IMOCA 60 Hugo Boss yacht washed up on the Patagonian coast in Chile during a kayaking expedition.

Read: Alex Thomson’s abandoned Hugo Boss yacht found after 10 years

 

March

Yacht carrying ‘mummified’ German sailor originally found by Clipper Round the World crew

Clipper Round the World race organisers confirmed that the crew of LMAX Exchange originally found the battered yacht carrying the remains of German sailor Manfred Fritz Bajorat.

The announcement came after fishermen came across his drifting yacht, Sayo, in the southern Philippines.

A post mortem examination later revealed Bajorat died of a heart attack.

Read: Yacht carrying ‘mummified’ German sailor originally found by Clipper Round the World crew

 

April

Rescue launched after three men set sail in a fridge freezer

The Flint Coastguard Rescue Team in North Wales got an unusual call-out in April following multiple reports of three men sailing the River Dee in a fridge freezer.

The kitchen appliance was later found abandoned, with no sign of the men. It was removed to a safe area.

UK Coastguard said the men were “extremely lucky they didn’t sink or get stuck in the mud when the fridge ran aground.”

Read: Rescue launched after three men set sail in a fridge freezer

 

May

Boeing 767 lands after ‘sailing’ along the Irish coast

Thousands of people turned out to watch a Boeing 767 being transported by barge up the west coast of Ireland to Co Sligo.

After successfully beaching at Enniscrone, it was transported to a nearby ‘glamping’ site to be turned into accommodation.

Read: Boeing 767 lands after ‘sailing’ along the Irish coast

 

June

Yacht Platino has been towed back to New Zealand

Tragedy struck the crew of the Platino when the 40-foot yacht suffered rigging damage in winds of up to 40 knots.

One sailor was killed and another declared overboard around 300 nautical miles north of New Zealand.

The rest of the crew abandoned the yacht, after being picked up by the container ship, Southern Lily.

Platino was lated towed  into Whangarei.

Read: Yacht Platino has been towed back to New Zealand 

 

July

Doctor raped on Girls for Sail holiday in St Lucia is suing

Rape victim Georgina Mortimer decided to take legal action against Girls for Sail and its founder Annie O’Sullivan after she was attacked during her Caribbean sailing holiday.

Mortimer, who has waived her right to anonymity, claimed both of them were negligent after she was raped in the villa during the second night of her holiday at Rodney Bay, St Lucia.

She also claimed Girls for Sail offered her a “massage and a manicure” and a “complimentary day’s sailing” after she complained to the company, asking for a refund.

Her claims are strongly refuted by O’Sullivan.

Read: Doctor raped on Girls for Sail holiday in St Lucia is suing

 

August

Narrowboat collides with Land Rover in bizarre accident on the River Avon

The occupiers of the narrowboat, Golden Eagle, got a surprise while making their way up the River Avon – they hit a submerged Land Rover.

No one was inside the vehicle, which was removed by the fire brigade, and West Mercia Police launched an investigation.

Read: Narrowboat collides with Land Rover in bizarre accident on the River Avon

 

September

Canadian women arrested in Sydney with 200 pounds of cocaine

Canadian nationals Isabelle Lagacé, 28, and Melina Roberge, 22, were cruising from England to Australia when they were stopped by police and found with 200 pounds of cocaine.

The pair had documented their fabulous trip on MS Sea Princess by posting pictures of their travels on Instagram.

Read: Canadian women rescued in Sydney with 200 pounds of cocaine

 

October

Tug boats reach superyacht Masteka 2 after 43-hour ordeal

Two tug boats had to help the luxury superyacht, Masteka 2, back to Sydney, after it lost steering and began sinking around 260-kilometres east of Port Macquarie in New South Wales.

The cruise ship, Carnival Spirit, evacuated two female crew members, while the remaining four crew stayed on boarde the 37-metre vessel.

No one was injured during the incident.

Read: Tug boats reach superyacht Masteka 2 after 43-hour ordeal

 

November

Mysterious ghost ship hits the shores of Ireland

The origins of a strange, tar covered solar-powered ghost ship, which washed up on a beach in County Mayo, Ireland, kept people guessing during November.

The hand-built ship was eventually found to have come from Newfoundland, after it had been abandoned there by its owner, Rick Small.

Read: Mysterious ghost ship hits the shores of Ireland

 

December

Fundraising appeal after narrowboat sinks on the Regent’s Canal

After spending seven months restoring the narrowboat, Dylan Stockli and Jahne Cleaver watched helplessly as their home sank in the Regent’s Canal in London.

A fundraising campaign was launched by Cleaver’s mother, Jeanette Cleaver, to try and help the couple get back on their feet.

Read: Fundraising appeal after narrowboat sinks on the Regent’s Canal