Boat lost

Circumnavigator Hagspiel rescued by the US Coast Guard

Thomas Hackspiel had to leave the boat behind in the Atlantic.

(Bild: Facebook)

In spring 2023, Thomas Hagspiel set off from Sardinia with his boat, the "Time AUT". His plan: to sail around the world within 6 to 7 years. But at the end of last week, he and his crew were caught in a violent storm on the east coast of the United States. The sailors jumped into the water and abandoned the boat.  

The Beneteau Oceanis 523 is actually equipped for heavy weather. At 16 meters long, 5 meters wide, with a draught of 2.40 and a mast height of 23 meters, the boat weighs 20 tons. Last Thursday, however, things looked different. 

"Graveyard of the Atlantic"
Wind peaks of over 60 knots and 7-meter-high waves meant that the ship was in danger of capsizing around 150 nautical miles off Cape Hatteras (North Carolina). The dangerous waters off the coast are known and feared by sailors, as the "Diamond Shoals", wandering sandbanks hidden off Cape Hatteras, have already led to many an accident. More than 600 ships lie in the so-called "Graveyard of the Atlantic".

A fate that has now probably also befallen the "Time AUT". Equipped with two waterproof bags, Thomas Hagspiel jumped into the cold water to be pulled up to the helicopter by the coastguard. He left the boat he had purchased in 2020 behind.

"You can perhaps imagine how difficult the decision was for me," writes the circumnavigator on his Facebook page. Ultimately, however, the well-being and lives of his crew counted more than the material value. 

The journey initially took the former insurance broker from Sardinia along the Italian and French coasts. Via the Balearic Islands and the Strait of Gibraltar, he made his way to the Canary Islands and Cape Verde. From here, Thomas Hagspiel started the Atlantic crossing to St. Lucia, an island state in the eastern Caribbean. 

Thomas Hagspiel has experienced many wonderful moments on his journey over the past two years.

(Bild: Thomas Hagspiel/Facebook)

Numerous island states were on the agenda before he made his way to New York via Florida and along the US coast. The pensioner, who wanted to fulfill a lifelong dream by sailing around the world, has at least made it to the States. What happens now is uncertain.