Posted on 06/09/2008 1:13:26 AM PDT by BellStar
Joy from rescue of 5 Aggie boaters turns grim when 6th member of capsized boat crew is found dead amid wreckage
A day that started with the joyous rescue of five crew members of a Texas A&M University at Galveston sailboat closed with the somber discovery of the sixth sailor's body in the wreckage of the sunken ship.
Roger Stone, whose body was recovered by a salvage crew Sunday about 27 miles southeast of Freeport, was called a hero for helping two students escape from below decks seconds before the Cynthia Woods capsized.
"I'm sure that's what lost his life," said R. Bowen Loftin, vice president and CEO of Texas A&M University at Galveston. "He gave his life for theirs."
Five members of the team, including four students from the Houston area, were rescued by the Coast Guard at 2 a.m. Sunday — after braving 26 hours in the Gulf.
"He died doing what he loved, and he died doing his job," said his widow, Linda Stone of the Clear Lake area. "My husband was a hero."
The 53-year-old, who worked at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, was hired by Texas A&M to serve as a safety officer on the Cynthia Woods.
Stone and the students were resting below deck when one of them noticed water shooting up inside the hull and tried to stop it with a wooden plug, recounted Mike Janota, a close friend who was at the family's home when university officials delivered the news.
Janota said officials think it was Stone who shouted, "It's the keel. Get out. Get out."
The boat capsized about 30 seconds after water was spotted entering the boat, Loftin said.
The disaster struck the 38-foot Cynthia Woods sailboat several hours into the 630-nautical mile Regata de Amigos, a race from Galveston to Veracruz that began at 2 p.m. Friday.
"The consensus was that it had not (struck an object) and that the keel had fallen off the boat," Janota said.
The boat lost contact shortly before midnight Friday.
After spending the day searching, the Coast Guard found the capsized vessel at 5:15 p.m. Saturday. They used a helicopter and cage to rescue five members of the crew at 2 a.m. Sunday.
Those rescued were safety officer Steven Conway, director of computing and information services at Texas A&M University at Galveston, and students Travis Wright of League City, Ross James Busby of The Woodlands, Joseph Savana of Sugar Land and Steven Guy of The Woodlands.
Guided by Conway, an assistant coach, crew members stayed afloat for more than a day sharing four life vests. Conway kept the group together in the water and used a flashlight to signal Coast Guard searchers, university officials said. Loftin said they were moving slowly toward an oil rig that they could see.
Survivors remained in the hospital in good condition Sunday, suffering from sunburn, dehydration and exposure, he said.
"I've talked to all of them and they're all doing fine," Loftin said. "They were extremely happy to be alive."
The rest of Sunday was spent searching for Stone, who reportedly did not enter the water with the others.
Stone's son, 14-year-old Eric, wrote on an online sailing forum about 4 p.m. that divers were being sent down to examine the sunken wreckage of the Cynthia Woods.
At 6:55 p.m. he posted: "He's gone. Roger was found in the boat. He was a hero. He did his job as safety officer. He got those kids off the boat. He's in a better place now."
Stone also had a 12-year-old daughter. Stone and his wife were about to celebrate their 18th wedding anniversary. They married in Veracruz, the destination of the race.
Stone, who sailed the Regata de Amigos many times, was an excellent navigator and an accomplished seaman, friends said.
Staff reporters Jennifer Leahy, Kevin Moran and Richard Stewart contributed to this report.
harvey.rice@chron.com
RIP.
Imagine being roused from a dead sleep and told to get out the front door of your house. Would you make it out in 30 seconds? How about if your house is flipping over at the time...
Roger Stone did a great job saving these students.
Houston PING
I fishing in a tournament over the weekend and the offshore division was canceled because of the high winds.
I find it hard to believe that a vessel owned by TAMU, on an offshore voyage, would not have a survival raft and a first class "ditch bag" that was not grabbed at the last second before abandoning ship. This vessel should be able to handle 4 to 6, even the short duration waves of the GOM. But I have to agree with you, somewhat, unless this particular vessel was "beefed up" for blue water, it is a marginal vessel for Galtex to Veracruz offshore, but still..... where was the raft?
My first speculation???That keel was damaged from a previous grounding. Working its way to keel bolt failure from your aforementioned 4 to 6 foot seas.
And my prayers to the Stone family. I was a Galveston resident for over twenty years. I have many friends at the TAMU facility on Pelican Island.
Chances are the liferaft deployed under the boat, when it first got wet.
Those guys never should have left port, there were small craft warning out, winds were 20, gusting to 30 knots, seas 4-6 ft.
I fishing in a tournament over the weekend and the offshore division was canceled because of the high winds.
Great weather for a sailboat? The fact it capsized due to whatever problems during gale force winds and one man died seems to contradict your logic.
A 38 foot boat is a little small to expect a life raft, normally. Sounds like they got hold of some life vests in time, but from the sound of it, this guy was trapped below decks when it went over. A raft wouldn't have helped him.
Winds of 20 to 30 and seas 4 to 6 isn't necessarily too much for a 38ft sailboat. It might make for an exciting ride, but it's not explicitly dangerous.
But if the keel falls off, that boat is going over regardless of the weather. It could be flat calm, and without the keel it's going over. Not to mention the flooding. They were done for.
I think Corpus recorded 50 mph winds (onshore) Friday.
I say 4-6' seas, but the capsize happened at night, apparently, and I suspect that the winds and seas had abated somewhat from earlier in the day.
More troubling, though, is the apparent lack of proper safety procedures (treading lightly here, meaning no disrespect to the deceased). As mentioned before, lack of EPIRBS, and deployment of liferaft (they wouldn't have been allowed to leave the dock without a raft) I see as a real problem. To say nothing about the lack of readily-available life jackets (I'd have been wearing mine on a boat that small).
Great weather for a sailboat? The fact it capsized due to whatever problems during gale force winds and one man died seems to contradict your logic.
Possibly not have helped Mr. Stone, and prayers to his family.
A 38 foot boat is a little small to expect a life raft, normally.
Normally, but a blue water cruise across the Gulf of Mexico from Galveston to Veracruz is NOT a normal day(s) on the water and 5 other souls on board are quite lucky for surviving without one.
30 inches by 12.5 inches by 15 inches. $1700 bucks on a vessel owned and operated by Texas A&M University, named after Cynthia Woods Mitchell, on a blue water voyage across the Gulf of Mexico? I think you can even rent em, certainly somewhere around Clear Lake.
I didn't see that in the story.
and deployment of liferaft (they wouldn't have been allowed to leave the dock without a raft)
Is this a Texas law? I haven't seen many liferafts on sailboats that size.
To say nothing about the lack of readily-available life jackets
They had lifejackets. Four of them anyway. Seems like they were available.
(I'd have been wearing mine on a boat that small).
Not too many people do, normally, though in those conditions it might be a good idea. Perhaps they were?
The race site has link titled 'Need to Rent a Liferaft?'.
R4F - and deployment of liferaft (they wouldn't have been allowed to leave the dock without a raft)
Ramius - Is this a Texas law? I haven't seen many liferafts on sailboats that size.
I understand they’re available. I’m just saying that I haven’t seen them on many blue-water boats of that size. It’s easier to find a place for a trunk that big on a motorboat, but on a 38ft sailboat there aren’t too many good places for it on deck. Again... I know it ~can~ be done, it just isn’t common. All I’m saying is that it’s not necessarily fair to allege some kind of negligence for not having one.
Oh, racing regs. I thought you were saying it was some kind of law. Nevermind.
I will leave this subject alone for now, in respect to the deceased and to not get off topic to this thread. However, in my opinion, that "N" word you mentioned, will come up in later and other discussions of this incident.
Regarding liferafts from another article:
....
USGS Capt. William Diehl said that the vessel was filled with water very fast and than it “flipped over,” reported CNN. “Cynthia Woods” was taking part in the annual Veracruz Regatta race, which began Friday.
Diehl also said that, although the boat had emergency radio beacons, life rafts and other safety equipment, only four life jackets were found after the boat capsized. The members from the boat said that, because there were only 4 life jackets and five of them, they had to take turns and also stay together in order not to drown.
....
http://www.efluxmedia.com/news_Texas_Last_Member_from_Capsized_Boat_Found_Dead_18736.html
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