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British skipper lost at sea suffered from Parkinson's

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Nitpicker1
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« on: August 30, 2009, 11:30:31 am »


British skipper lost at sea suffered from Parkinson's
NZPA, NZPA August 30, 2009, 8:03 am
The British yachtie lost overboard in the Pacific leaving his New Zealand sailing partner adrift and helpless, was suffering from parkinson's disease, a friend says.

David Parkinson, a former British Royal Marine whose adventures inspired a Hollywood film, is missing, presumed drowned after falling overboard from his sloop Santana somewhere between Niue and Tonga about 6pm on August 20.

His sole companion on the Pacific Island leg of the journey, 65-year-old New Zealander Alexander McDonald, awoke from his "off-watch" sleep in the cabin to find himself alone on the boat.

After three days adrift, he managed to activate a rescue beacon he found on board, and was picked up by a Tongan Navy patrol boat off the east coast of Tongatapu last Sunday.

Despite having no sailing experience he had still tried to search for Mr Parkinson, said Tonga police commander Chris Kelley.

When that proved fruitless, he "managed to stay on the boat and keep it afloat".

"I think he just went round in ever-decreasing circles," Mr Kelley told NZPA.

"He simply struggled with whole dimensions of being alone on the boat."

David Parkinson's brother Chris, who lives in the United States, said he was undertaking an amazing round-the-world sailing attempt.

The British skipper suffered from parkinson's disease and set off after an experimental operation, the Herald on Sunday reported today.

Surgeons implanted a pacemaker in Parkinson's chest which sent electrical impulses to electrodes in his brain.

Long-time friend Michael Lewis said Parkinson needed a volunteer crew to help him with sailing.

"David was really concerned about his ability to function properly outside the cockpit.

"He was bound and determined to complete his around the world journey despite the limitations that the disease was having on him."

Parkinson had sailed from Tahiti to Rarotonga with a Spanish crewman but when he left to join another yacht, Parkinson began to search for another crew member.

He met McDonald, and Cook Island officials said the pair left for Niue on August 6.

Mr Lewis said Parkinson had left the military to work for a company called Control Risks in London as a hostage negotiator.

He worked often in Colombia, where one of his cases was made into the film Proof of Life, starring Russell Crowe and Meg Ryan.

McDonald, who has spent the week in Tonga helping the police inquiry, was in good health and was free to return to New Zealand, Mr Kelley said.

http://nz.news.yahoo.com/a/-/newshome/5890709/british-skipper-lost-at-sea-suffered-from-parkinson/

British yacht-owner David Parkinson, a former British Royal Marine whose adventures inspired a Hollywood film, is missing, presumed dead. Lewis said Parkinson had left the military to work for a company called Control Risks in London as a hostage negotiator. He worked often in Colombia, where one of his cases was made into the film Proof of Life with Russell Crowe and Meg Ryan. He recalled Parkinson saying: "We didn't really go in with guns blazing. That only happens in Hollywood."

http://community.livejournal.com/ohnotheydidnt/38703091.html
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