The captain of a yacht has died after he fell overboard while participating in the 52nd Newport Bermuda Race.
Nearly 200 vessels lined up at the start of the 635-mile biennial race from Newport, Rhode Island, on Friday. Among those participating was Colin Golder, of New Providence, New Jersey, who was captain of the 42-foot yacht Morgan of Marietta. He was navigating strong winds on Sunday when he fell overboard roughly 325 miles from Bermuda, the Bermuda Race Organizing Committee said in a statement to CBS News.
"After extended effort, Mr. Golder's body was recovered by the vessel's crew, and the vessel is returning to the mainland," the statement said.
His family has been informed.
"The Bermuda Race Organizing Committee, the Cruising Club of America, and the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club wish to express sincere condolences to the family and crew of Mr. Golder," the statement added.
The Newport Bermuda Race's origins date back to 1906, according to NJ.com. The bi-annual event's Lighthouse Trophy, which is given to the winner, is one of distance sailing's most coveted prizes and the event regularly attracts more than 150 sailing vessels.
A spokesperson for the race, John Burnham, said in a statement to NJ.com that, throughout the event's history, which spans over a century, the race has had "an extraordinary safety record."
"The joint organizing committee of the two clubs — Bermuda Race Organizing Committee — only permits competitors with demonstrated experience to enter and sail in the race and require that their sailboats and their crews have passed a rigorous inspection and training process," Burnham said.
Only two sailors, including Golder, have died in the race's history, according to its website.
"In 45 races over a century, only two boats have been lost, one on Bermuda's reef, and the other in a deadly fire in 1932 that also claimed the Bermuda Race's only loss of life,” apart from Golder's, the website states.
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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