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Welshman on Atlantic Rowing Voyage Found Dead at Sea

26th February 2024
Michael Holt
Michael Holt, who had type 1 diabetes, was rowing across the Atlantic to raise funds for two charities Credit: Family handout

A Welshman in his 50s has been found dead on his boat during an attempt to row solo across the Atlantic, as BBC News reports.

Michael Holt had set out from Gran Canaria on 27 January with the aim of reaching Barbados in the Caribbean on a charity fundraiser voyage he expected to take between 50 and 110 days.

But less than four weeks and 700 miles into the challenge, the 54-year-old reported feeling seasick which he attributed to a bad reaction to antibiotics, and he rerouted towards Cape Verde some 300 miles south.

Fears for his welfare grew when contact was lost last week, and on Sunday evening (25 February) his death was announced online.

Holt, who had type 1 diabetes, was found dead in the cabin of his ocean-going rowboat by the crew of a fishing vessel that answered an emergency call.

BBC News has more on the story HERE.

Published in Coastal Rowing
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