[Paddlewise] Capsize of dragonboat with 15 in Denmark.

This Friday (February 11, 2011) a dragonboat/-canoe with 2 teachers and 13
pupils capsized in a Danish fjord (Prfstx Fjord on the eastside of Zealand, 10
km from where I live) about 500 meters from land.



All information is not available yet but this far the following seems to be
the case:



The boat was trying to set a new record in the fjord that looks like a lake in
open land without any protection from wind. Wind speed was about 4-5 m/sek
initially but rapidly increasing to about 10 m/sek with gusts around 14-15
m/sek. The decision was apparently made to turn around as the wind increased
but in doing this the boat capsized.



The water temperature was about 2 degrees centigrade. Adequate clothing (dry-
og wet-suit) was not used although ordinary PFDs was used by all. There was no
known attempt to reach SAR after the capsize. It's likely there was no means
for it.



One pupil managed to swim to shore and afterwards run about 1 km to a store
from where the SAR was alarmed.



With more than one hours delay a major rescue operation was initiated.



13 pupils and one teacher was found within the next hour. Many in an
unconscious state floating in there PFDs. One teacher is still missing and is
expected to be dead.



6 pupils are still being kept in coma and their outcome is uncertain. It's not
possible to know whether or to which extent there are damages to their brains.
They have suffered stop of heartbeat and body temperatures are reported to
have been around 16 degrees centigrade.



All circumstances are not available yet. The boat was not approved as it
should have been and the persons that may be held responsible are all busy
telling that they are not to blame.



Insurance have just started to comment on the possibilities for
compensations.



regards



Jens Viggo Moesmand

Denmark
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