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Fate of the vessel Free Spirit.
Date: June 18, 2006
The U.S. Coast Guard suspended the search about 1:45 p.m. today for the 41-foot sailing vessel Free Spirit, with four people on board, which was reported to be in distress June 15 approximately 200 nautical miles south of Halifax, Nova Scotia and 290 nautical miles east of Chatham, Mass.
Today the Coast Guard continued an exhaustive search using the Coast Guard Cutter Spencer, homeported in Boston, the Canadian vessel CCGS Earl Grey and a U.S. Navy P-3 fixed-wing airplane from Naval Air Station Brunswick, Maine, but they were unsuccessful in finding the Free Spirit.
The Coast Guard searched more than 15,000 square miles over the last 73 hours, an area slightly larger than the state of Massachussetts.
"Suspending a search is one of the hardest decisions a district commander has to make," said Rear Admiral David Pekoske, commander, Coast Guard First District. "I understand how difficult it is for family and friends to move forward when a search is suspended without the hoped for outcome. I can assure you that the Coast Guard worked around the clock trying to locate the Free Spirit or its crew."
Kirsty Scott, Jacek Beilecki's stepdaughter, called New York police, who contacted the Coast Guard about 11:55 a.m. June 15. Scott stated that she received a satellite phone call from her stepfather, stating his GPS position and that he was in distress and needed to be rescued immediately. The seas were reported to be 23 to 30 feet, and the winds were reported to be 50 to 90 knots.
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