Single handed yachtsman and the Queen Mary 2 crew who rescued him reunited for the first time
by Kirsti Pawlowski 21 Apr 2018 21:03 BST
Mervyn Wheatley, an experienced yachtsman was reunited with Cunard's Captain Wells, at the Ocean Cruising Club today.
Wheatley, who has sailed over 400,000 miles, including three transatlantic crossings in one year, will be reunited with the man who navigated Cunard's Queen Mary 2 and coordinated his rescue at a ceremony held at SS Great Britain in Bristol on Saturday 21st April.
After a huge wave knocked over Formosa 42 Tamarind and she started taking on water, Skipper, Mervyn Wheatley activated his distress beacon. In heavy seas and rough weather, with the help of RAF Hercules and Canadian search and rescue services, the crew of Queen Mary 2 took on the task of bringing the skipper to safety.
Captain Wells coordinated the crew who launched of a tender which plucked Wheatley from the water and took him back to the shores of Southampton.
Captain Wells, Master of Queen Mary 2 said: "I am honoured to be reunited with Mervyn.
"He is a highly experienced mariner and was hugely unlucky to have been hit by such a large wave, I was extremely glad we could help get him back to shore safely."