Police release names of two sailors lost off Mandurah in yachting tragedy

Bull Creek man Paul Owens and skipper Rob Thomas were two of six sailors on board the yacht Finistere when it overturned on Friday evening.

The crew were competing in the Bunbury and Return Ocean Race when the Australian Maritime Safety Authority detected a distress beacon from the vessel at around 11.45pm.

They attempted to contact the boat but were unsuccessful, and the yacht's tracker failed to update at midnight as scheduled.

Two other yachts competing in the race - Huckleberry and Fourth Dimension - and the RAC Rescue helicopter arrived at the scene about 12.30am and rescued five of the six crew members from the water, including Mr Owens.

However, Mr Owens died.

Mr Thomas, who was the skipper of the boat at the time, went missing following the incident and sparked a vigorous land and air search by maritime authorities.

His body was found on Saturday afternoon.

The yacht competes regularly in WA and had previously completed the prestigious Sydney to Hobart yacht race.

Weather conditions in the area were described as south easterly winds, 15 to 20 knots, with one to two metre seas.

"AMSA would like to express its sincere condolences to the family and friends of the Finistere's crew," the marine authority said in a statement.

"AMSA would also like to thank all parties involved in today's extensive search."

The incident has been referred to police who will prepare a report for the coroner.

Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club Commodore Dean McAullay said it was too early to speculate about the incident and the authorities would undertake the appropriate enquiries.

He said counselling will be available to the crew and race competitors and support will be offered to the family at the appropriate time.

As a mark of respect, racing scheduled at Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club was cancelled.

Update, 4.00pm Saturday: Mandurah senior sergeant Stevie Thompson said difficult conditions were met during the search for a sailor following the capsizing of a yacht off Mandurah’s coast late Friday night. 

“It covers an area of approximately 140 square nautical miles,” he said. 

The search involved six aircraft and 10 vessels. 

Senor sergeant Thompson said water police from Peel and Fremantle assisted the search as well as Mandurah volunteer marine rescue, the Department of Transport and Fisheries. 

The body of the missing sailor was located deceased at about 12.30pm.

Senior sergeant Thompson expressed his condolences to the family on behalf of the WA police and thanked the rescue team.

Update, 3.11pm: The body of the missing sailor has been located following the capsizing of a yacht off Mandurah’s coast on Friday night.

The AMSA confirmed the discovery and has ended its search operations.

This is the second death as a result of the overturned yacht, with police confirming that both deceased sailors were men, aged in their 60s and 70s.

The Department of Fire and Emergency Services Dauphin helicopter located the body at 12.30pm on Saturday and it was recovered by Fremantle Water Police. 

Following the recovery of the second body, an AMSA spokesperson expressed its sincere condolences to the family and friends of the Finistere’s crew.

The spokesperson also thanked all parties involved in the extensive search.

The incident has been referred to police who will prepare a report for the coroner.

Previously, 1.25pm:  Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club has expressed their condolences to the family of the sailor who died off the coast of Mandurah overnight. 

The club was hosting their Bunbury and Return Ocean Race when 15 metre yacht Finistere overturned.

Four of the crew were found safe about 11 nautical miles offshore, however one of their crewmates was found deceased, and another is still missing. 

Police are continuing the search for the missing sailor.

Commodore Dean McAullay said it was too early to speculate about the incident and the authorities will undertake the appropriate enquiries.

He said counselling will be available to the crew and race competitors and support will be offered to the family at the appropriate time.

As a mark of respect, racing scheduled for Saturday at Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club has been cancelled.

7.02am: A marine search and rescue operation is under way off Mandurah, with one person confirmed dead and another missing, after a yacht overturned about 11 nautical miles offshore.

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) confirmed four crew members from the 15 metre yacht Finistere had been rescued, but one had died and another was missing.

The alarm was raised just before midnight when the yacht, which was participating in the Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club’s Bunbury and Return Ocean Race, set off an emergency beacon.

Attempts to contact the yacht direct via radio were unsuccessful and the yacht's tracker failed to update.

A Department of Fire and Emergency Services rescue helicopter, which had been training in Mandurah, was sent to the scene and found Finistere overturned.

Two other yachts participating in the race, Huckleberry and Fourth Dimension, arrived on scene a short time later. A third yacht Circa also provided assistance on scene.

The assisting yachts recovered five of the six crew members from the water – one of whom was deceased.

AMSA is coordinating a search for the missing crew member in an area of about 90 square nautical miles, 22 nautical miles west southwest of Mandurah.

Two RAC Rescue helicopters, the DFES Dauphin helicopter, a Western Australia Police helicopter and an additional civilian helicopter are conducting searches of the area.

AMSA’s Challenger jet from Perth has dropped two datum marker buoys to track water movements in the area.

The search area of about 90 square nautical miles is about 22 nautical miles south west of Mandurah in rough seas.

The yacht, Huckleberry has transferred the surviving crew members to shore for medical treatment.