Sailors at the Fastnet Race 1979
... and why it would probably not happen in the same form today. Meteorologists have analysed the weather forecasts from back then - and not only that
A team of scientists has used the weather data from the past to feed today's forecasting models and thus gained exciting insights. 40 years ago, the participants in the Fastnet Race were caught completely unprepared in a severe storm. 15 sailors and four sea rescuers died in the disaster, and a total of around 200 crews were in distress at sea.
The question asked by the meteorologists involved in the investigation was whether a comparable accident would still occur today under the same weather conditions or whether the sailors could be better provided with information about the approaching storm. The results can now be read in the new issue of YACHT (issue 17/2019, available now in newsagents and as an Digital edition available).
