News / RNLI
£140k RNLI donation in memory of Bristol yachtsman
The family of amateur sailor Simon Speirs, who tragically lost his life when swept overboard while taking part in a round-the-world yacht race, has donated £140,000 to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI).
Simon Speirs, 60, was a retired solicitor from Bristol who drowned in November 2017. Speirs fell overboard in rough seas in the Southern Ocean west of Fremantle, Australia, while taking part in the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race.
Clipper Ventures, which runs the Clipper Round the World Race, has disputed claims by the family of Simon Speirs that it ignored previous Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) recommendations.
is needed now More than ever
Simon Speirs with his wife, Margaret – photo: Speirs family
Speirs’ widow, Margaret, said: ‘On top of the challenges of sailing in hugely testing conditions, the crew had to do repair and maintenance work including pumping water out of a perpetually leaking boat.
“In Simon’s case, he was not only watch leader and coxswain but designated sail repairer, in one instance spending 20 hours out of 24 in cramped cabin conditions repairing ripped sails.”
It was the third fatality in the history of the Clipper Race. In the 2015-16 edition, two crew on board the 70-foot CV21, IchorCoal died.
Andrew Ashman, 49, was killed when he was accidentally struck by the boom. Sarah Young, 40, who was not clipped on, died after she was washed overboard in the Southern Ocean.
She was recovered after one hour and 20 minutes in the water, but did not regain consciousness.
The Speirs family’s £140,000 donation is from the proceeds of a settlement with the race organiser, with no admission of liability.
Speirs’ son, Mike, said: “We believe that supporting the RNLI is the best way to honour our Dad’s memory.
“He loved the sea and was a strong advocate for maritime safety. We hope that by donating this money we can help the RNLI continue to save lives at sea.”
The RNLI relies on public donations – photo: RNLI/Carla Jackson
The RNLI is the charity that saves lives at sea, providing a 24-hour, 365-days-a-year lifeboat search and rescue service around the coasts of the UK and Ireland and a seasonal beach lifeguard service. The charity relies on public donations.
A spokesperson for the RNLI said: “We are very grateful to the Speirs family for their generous donation which will be used to fund the casualty room at the new Tower Lifeboat Station on the River Thames in London.
“This new facility will provide a dedicated space for the treatment of casualties and will include state-of-the-art equipment to aid lifesaving work at the RNLI’s busiest lifeboat station.”
All photos: Speirs family
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