In distress in the Atlantic: Sailing yacht crew rescues rower off Cape Verde
Fabian Boerger
· 05.01.2026
It is 2.30 a.m. when an emergency call breaks the routine on board the "Raven". The five-man crew is transferring the 25-metre charter yacht to Antigua when a distress call reaches them in the middle of the night: the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC) Mindelo on the Cape Verde Islands is calling.
Rescue under moderate conditions
A solo Atlantic rower is reported to be drifting at sea, unable to manoeuvre. The control centre transmits her position. She is located around 70 nautical miles west of the "Raven". "Within 30 minutes, we had all the necessary information together", Dietmar Henke later reported to the Trans-Ocean Association. "After that, it was clear that we were changing course."
At around ten o'clock the next morning, the British-flagged "Raven" reaches the rowing boat. Henke reports that the woman was exhausted, but visibly relieved when the sailing yacht came alongside. The conditions were moderate at the time: ten to 15 knots of wind, waves between one and one and a half metres high. The crew takes the rowing boat in tow - it also bears the name "Raven".
30 hour tow to Mindelo
Under engine power, they head for the nearest harbour, Mindelo on the Cape Verdean island of São Vicente, around 200 nautical miles away. After around 30 hours, they safely reach the marina. Henke emphasises: "Without modern technology such as AIS, trackers and satellite communication, the rescue would not have been possible.
More on the topic:
Solo rower was travelling to Barbados
Rebecca Ferry set off from Gran Canaria on 15 December, officially listed with the Ocean Rowing Society. Her destination: Barbados. But just over a week after the start, she lost her manoeuvrability. The exact cause is unknown.
