Improper Repairs Caused Deadly A&M Sailboat Accident
Improper Repairs Caused Deadly A&M Sailboat Accident Save Email Print
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(December 19, 2008)--Improper repairs of damage from previous groundings were probably what caused a Texas A&M University sailboat to capsize in the Gulf of Mexico, killing one crewmember, according to the results of a U.S. Coast Guard investigation released Friday.

The Cynthia Woods went down in the gulf June 6 after its keel broke off, killing one crewmember and leaving five others adrift in the Gulf for 26 hours.

The Coast Guard investigation found the sailboat, despite previous groundings, hadn't undergone any major repairs, examinations or marine surveys.

Coast Guard Cmdr. Jim Elliott said a Galveston boatyard reattached the keel early this year after the most recent grounding, but wasn't asked to do any other work on the boat.

The sailboat manager, Jim Atchley, was fired about a month after the accident, but Texas A&M officials said he was fired for not disclosing his criminal history when he applied for his job.

The accident happened while the sailboat was competing in the Regata de Amigos, a sailing race from Galveston to Veracruz, Mexico.

The crew included four students and two safety officers.
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