Donegal mountaineer Jason Black and rowing partner Neil Glover have been rescued by a merchant shipping vessel at the request of the Tenerife Coast Guard after storm conditions damaged their vessel during an Atlantic row.
The organisers of the C-Map Atlantic Dash, a 5,000-kilometre row from Lanzarote to Antigua, said that both men had been “transferred safely onto the merchant shipping vessel “Lagoa” as organised by the Tenerife coast guard”.
“They are safe and well and currently on their way to Lisbon in Portugal, which is the ship’s destination,” the organisers said.
“The storm came up over the top of us and turned us sideways, and as we surfed down the wave it snapped off the rudder,” Black said in a video posted to social media on Saturday.
The merchant shipping vessel “Lagoa” has picked up transatlantic rowers Jason Black and Neil Glover
“Unfortunately, that left us rudderless, and we had no control of the boat. At that stage myself and Neil lowered the sea anchor,”he said.
“We have reached out to the Coastguard and they are liaising on a rescue with an American freight ship, it will be six hours away,”he had said.
Black explained that both men were safe, the boat was otherwise intact and stable and they had food and water.
Their rowing craft, Destiny’s Tide, was one of three boats participating in the Atlantic Dash, described as a “regatta” and not a race and one of the world’s toughest endurance events.
They were just over two weeks into their row and making good progress, lying in third position.
On Thursday, Black had anticipated a weather system which would require them to deploy their para-anchor, helping to stabilise their position during heavy winds.
The organisers were able to report last night that their boat was also taken on board the merchant ship.
“Often in recovery situations the boat is abandoned and cast adrift, but in a very fortunate turn of events, “Lagoa” is also attempting to tow Destiny’s Tide’s boat into Lisbon,”the Atlantic Dash organisers said.
“The YB tracker is still sending a signal as normal so you may see a large jump and change of direction as they make their way to Portugal,”they said.
“Whilst this is good news for the boat, there is still a chance she may need to be cast adrift (Neil and Jason will remain safe on Lagoa),”the organisers added.
Black and Glover had set out on the 5,000 kilometre row to raise funds for the charity Race Against Dementia, initiated by racing driver Jackie Stewart.
Black, from Letterkenny, Co Donegal, climbed Mount Everest in May 2013, and the world’s second highest peak, K2, in 2018, and runs his own professional expedition company.
