(Source: Texas A&M University)

COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Responding to a request from Texas A&M University president Dr. Elsa Murano and Dr. R. Bowen Loftin, vice president and chief executive officer of Texas A&M University at Galveston, Jay Kimbrough, deputy chancellor and general counsel of The Texas A&M University System, was appointed to conduct an independent investigation into the sinking of the sailing vessel Cynthia Woods. Chancellor Michael D. McKinney, M.D., asked Kimbrough to conduct “a complete and thorough investigation” of the sinking of the sailing vessel.

The Cynthia Woods capsized late Friday night in the Gulf of Mexico while competing in the Regata de Amigos, a sailing race from Galveston to Veracruz. A Coast Guard helicopter rescued five members of the TAMUG Offshore Sailing Team early Sunday reportedly 27 miles off the Texas coast near Freeport. The body of the sixth crew member, safety officer Roger Stone, was found Sunday afternoon.

“Mr. Kimbrough is authorized to utilize any and all resources necessary, including System Internal Audit, the Office of General Counsel and any external subject matter experts he deems necessary to ensure a complete and thorough investigation to determine the cause of this incident,” McKinney said. “We are thankful that five of our sailors were rescued, but the tragic loss of Roger Stone demands that we determine how this happened and what can be done to prevent it from happening again.”

McKinney added that Kimbrough will be working closely with the Coast Guard’s investigators, as well as experts in maritime law, ship design and construction, and forensic experts. As a first step, Kimbrough has asked the faculty, staff and students of TAMUG to report any pertinent information to the Texas A&M System Risk and Misconduct Hotline at 888-501-3850.

The five survivors of the two-day ordeal were released on Monday from the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston. The students, Joseph Savana, Travis Wright and Steven Guy of TAMUG, and Ross Busby of Texas A&M, were joined by TAMUG staff member and safety officer Steve Conway in leaving the medical facility after being held overnight for treatment for dehydration and severe sunburn. Funeral services for safety officer Roger Stone are pending.