In the early hours of Monday, February 15th, in moderately heavy seas, a wave swept across part of the rowing deck. Michael Johnson (21) from Zimbabwe was swept off his seat and into the sea.
Press release Oceanus Rowing Posted on February 16, 2016:
It is with a profoundly heavy heart we have to announce one of our Rowboat Toby Wallace rowers is missing at sea.
In the early hours of Monday 15th February 4 of the 8 person crew were rowing (at location close to: 18 29’ N 039 06’ W) in moderately heavy seas when a wave swept across part of the rowing deck. Michael Johnson (21) from Zimbabwe was swept off his seat and into the sea. The force of the wave caused his safety line – attaching him to the boat – to break.
The force of the waves and wind conditions at the time caused Mike and the boat to move apart. The crew tried their utmost to stop the Toby Wallace and row back up into the conditions, but this proved impossible. They triggered their EPIRB (Emergency Position Information Reporting Beacon) and contacted UK HM Coastguard by Satellite Phone. The crew also deployed their life raft as a sea anchor, to slow their progress, in the hope that Michael would drift to their position.
Working with Portuguese coastguard coordination, UK HM coastguard requested any shipping in the area to aid a search for Michael. A cargo ship changed course to the location and two aircraft were deployed to help with the search. By the time any search assets arrived in the area it was daylight (first aircraft reported on location at 12:00 GMT). The area was searched throughout day until fading light forced an end to operations with no sign of Michael.
At last light the remaining 7 crew of the Toby Wallace were transferred to the search ship and will be transferred to land when the ship next makes port.
Both UK and Portuguese Coastguard have declared a termination of search operations, but Michael’s family are desperate for the search to continue and appeal to anyone who can help.
Crew
Simon Chalk – Skipper of the “Toby Wallace”. Based in Stafford, from Leicester. British (43)
Graham Walters – First Mate onboard “Toby Wallace”. From Leicester, British (68)
Roger Davies – Based on the South Coast, UK. British (Age 68)
Dolores Desclaveliere – Based in Paris. French. (Age 48)
Murray Faber – Based in South Wales, UK. Zimbabwean. (Age 20)
Iwan Hughes – Based in London, UK. British. (Age 35)
Mike Johnson – Based in Zimbabwe. British / Zimbabwean. (Age 21)
Richard Wattam – Based in Berkshire, UK. (Age 50)
