Chinese Singlehander Lost

News Release
October 26, 2016

U.S. Coast Guard
Contact: 14th District Public Affairs
Email: USCGHawaiiPacific@uscg.mil
Office: (808) 535-3230
UPDATE: COAST GUARD SUSPENDS SEARCH FOR MISSING CHINESE TRANS-PACIFIC MARINER
HONOLULU — The Coast Guard suspended the active search Wednesday evening for a Chinese mariner who was unreported while sailing his 97-foot super trimaran across the Pacific.

Guo Chuan, 50, remains missing.

"Mr. Chuan was a professional mariner with a deep passion for sailing," said Capt. Robert Hendrickson, chief of response, Coast Guard 14th District. "Our thanks to our Navy partners who helped us search for this vessel in a timely manner so far from shore in an attempt to locate Mr. Chuan. Our deepest condolences go out not only to his family and friends but also to his racing team and the sailing community."

Coast Guard HC-130 Hercules crews conducted six search patterns in the vicinity of the Quindao China and its charted course following notification of the situation Tuesday and into Wednesday. The USS Makin Island deployed an MH-60 Seahawk helicopter Wednesday once they were in range to attempt contact with Chuan. Their hails over the radio went unanswered and weather conditions prevented safe deployment of a rescue swimmer to the vessel. They followed up by deploying a rigid-hulled inflatable boat and crew to conduct a boarding of the trimaran Wednesday afternoon. The boatcrew confirmed Chuan was not on the vessel although his life jacket remains aboard.

Weather on scene was reportedly 23 mph winds, seas to 5-feet with good visibility and scattered clouds.

On-scene assets searched a total area of more than 4,600 square miles over the two-day period.

Involved in the search were:
- HC-130 Hercules airplane crews from Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point
- USS Makin Island (LHD 8) homeported out of San Diego
- Navy MH-60 Seahawk helicopter crew attached to the USS Makin Island

The Quindao China remains adrift, the mainsail has been doused and the vessel has been marked. A broadcast notice to mariners alerting vessel crews in the area to the potential hazard to navigation has been issued. Chuan’s racing team is making arrangements to recover the vessel.

Tuesday morning, watchstanders at the Coast Guard Joint Rescue Coordination Center Honolulu received notification from Maritime Rescue Coordination Center China personnel that the vessel Qingdao China, with one person aboard, had not been heard from for 24 hours prompting the response.

The Makin Island is an amphibious assault ship attached to the Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group and 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit that departed Naval Station San Diego for a scheduled deployment, Oct. 14, to provide maritime security operations, crisis response capability, theater security cooperation and forward naval presence in the Pacific.

http://www.uscgnews.com/go/doc/4007/2895874/

There is an earlier video of him here: https://youtu.be/PS1keu8RyMo
All I can think of is "why aren't you clipped on?"
It's a terrible shame to lose one of us. Fair Winds Guo Chuan

Update on this. When his shore crew boarded the boat, they found the broken off end of his tether. Lord knows what happened. Just another warning for us all.
Attachment 1946

There are photos here: http://sports.sohu.com/20161115/n473270520.shtml

If I guess it right, he was clipped on at the extreme end of the starboard ama--a very insecure place to be on a big tri with maybe a busted halyard dragging a sail....

I;m sure there will soon be a direct-English explanation, rather than this machine translation.

After examination, the rescue team in the right side of pontoon boat rear trisomy found broken rope safety buckle. This proves that Guo Chuan in the water, not only wearing a life jacket, but also the safety rope.
In addition, the rescue team checked the hull buoys damaged hull, there are traces of hard objects hit. However, Guo Chuan into the water is because the hull by a sudden collision of foreign bodies, but also unable to know. French team of experts and professional sailors rescue team agreed on the need for future boat lifting up, check the bottom of damage, in order to know the extent of damage and the possibility that foreign matter impact.
Rescue teams also confirmed that the triangular sail fell into the water is broken due to broken cable. But why the broken cable, need to climb the mast for further investigation.
"This is a complete accident, too distressing." Guo Chuan team technical manager, French expert Yvonne Bergha in the analysis of the rescue team returned after the picture said.

(Yellow circle on the map location, that is, Guo Chuan fell into the water before the ship's operating position)
On the current situation, according to the rescue team and Guo Chuan shore France expert team analysis, Guo Chuan into the water situation may have two.
The first is: Spinnaker supported cable rupture cause spinnaker overboard, Guo Chuan in order to save the drowning of three-body spinnaker on board, in the rear starboard side job, he was wearing a life jacket and tied with safety ropes. But may be due to the hull by a sudden impact or other reasons, Guo Chuan suddenly fell into the water.
The second is: Guo Chuan wearing a life jacket and safety rope tied in the rear starboard job trimaran may be a sudden shock, causing the spinnaker shrouds broken spinnaker overboard moment, the forces come together, Instantly lead to Guo Chuan fell into the water.

Under normal circumstances, the safety rope to ensure that when the sailors fell into the water, firmly hold the sailors, to avoid separation of people and ships. If the sailor can crawl back into the boat in the drowning moment, it will save the day. Otherwise, the situation may become very dangerous, because Guo Chuan fell into the water, the trimaran still maintained a speed of 10 or so speed, if Guo Chuan is in the water by the hull dragged, the degree of danger will not be Imagine. Of course, do not rule out Guo Chuan in the water when there is awareness, their own safety rope buckle cut the possibility of. However, when the safety rope buckle broken or how to break, you need to do after landing similar to the scene simulation experiments, further study to know.
Rescue team boarded the trimaran, the diving has been taken back to the boat. As a result of inspection and found the bad, can not be repaired at sea, only the Qingdao, China, towed back to the island of Hawaii for maintenance. At present, Qingdao, China is to 7 knots at the speed of the course was dragged Honolulu, sailing on the way, the rescue team will continue to search for traces of Guo Chuan.

(Pictured above, the lifejacket, safety rope buckle and ropes used in the actual voyage may not be exactly the same as shown in the diagram)
(From: Guo Chuan Marine Public No.)

Hi Christian,
Speculation only, but it looks possible when Guo Chuan went overboard and his weight came on the tether, that the tether partially wrapped and fetched hard against the tiller head/rudder tube, an area possibly sharp with carbon fiber/aluminum. Then as the tiller moved, the underside of the tiller head cut the tether cleanly against the rudder tube. Close inspection of the photo appears to show threads (from the tether webbing?) in the tiller head area. Possible, but I would doubt the tether broke so cleanly from UV deterioration.
~skip