Incidents in the South Atlantic.
Documented sailing emergencies in the South Atlantic — 6 records, each with sources, lessons, and links to the SeaWise procedures involved. Search by the water you're about to sail.
← Search & filter the full LogbookIn early February 2026, a 32-year-old American crewman aboard the sailing yacht Lena Rae fell seriously ill — chest pain and breathlessness — on a passage from St Helena to the Caribbean, about 1,600 km from Recife, Brazil. Brazil's sea-rescue service diverted a nearby merchant ship to take him aboard, and a Brazilian Air Force helicopter then flew from Natal to evacuate him to hospital.
On a recreational passage from San Fernando toward Colonia in 2026, a sailing yacht caught fire in the Emilio Mitre channel, the approach to Buenos Aires on the River Plate. Its two crew — a man and a woman — ended up in the water and were found floating about 100 metres from the burning boat by the Argentine Prefectura. Both were treated ashore for burns and hypothermia.
On the night of 4–5 October 2025, the sailing yacht Magia lost her main mast and was left drifting with three people aboard between Anchieta and Vitória islands, off Ubatuba on Brazil's São Paulo coast. After they spent the night adrift, a Military Police helicopter located the boat the next morning and the three crew were rescued and brought ashore safely.
In late December 2025, the Argentine sailing yacht Odisea, crossing the River Plate from Buenos Aires toward Riachuelo on the Uruguayan side, was left stranded and taking on water near the river mouth in the Colonia department. The Uruguayan Prefectura took the two crew off by launch, both in good condition, and the holed yacht was left beached. Reports differ on whether a malfunction or striking rocks caused it.
On a Sunday in April 2024, the French yacht Le Souffle de la Mer, racing solo around the world in the Global Solo Challenge, ran aground in Bahía Aguirre about 95 miles from Ushuaia, in Tierra del Fuego. Her lone skipper sent a distress alert; the Argentine Navy reached him in winds over 50 knots, extracted him by rubber boat in the afternoon, and towed the yacht back to Ushuaia that night. He was unhurt.
On 29 October 2023 the Argentine sailboat Carpe Diem lost her rudder and began flooding near the Farallón Island light off Colonia, Uruguay. The crew could not stop the water, and a pump failed to hold her. About two hours after the first distress call, Uruguay's Navy took off all twelve aboard; the boat sank with half its mast still showing. All twelve survived.