Miceli recovered from freighter, bad end for chickens

Saturday, March 14-Matthew Miceli has been recovered, is well, and is aboard the merchant ship Aranon (flying the flag of the Marshall Islands), which is heading to the port of Salvador in Brazil, where it will arrive on March 17. His boat Eco40, which has lost its keel, is adrift but is being kept under observation by the Rome Ocean World organization thanks to the satellite signal, and Miceli’s shore staff has made it known their intention to retrieve it. (Pictured above is Davide Besana’s vineyard)

ONE STEP AWAY FROM SUCCESS…
Bad end, on the other hand, for the two hens who were on board with Matthew: The Blonde died in the Indian Ocean, the Blackberry was lost in the accident. During the distress call, it appears that the Roman sailor indulged in tears. Not just for the chickens, of course: he was forced to retire after 145 days at sea, less than two weeks into his circumnavigation of the globe without assistance or stopover and in full energy autonomy, after years of trying to set out on such a venture and finally managing to find the funds to do so. Miceli rounded Cape Horn, one of very few Italians (Fogar, Bianchetti, De Gregorio, Soldini some other important names), and had just passed the Equator, 600 miles off Brazil. Twenty-five thousand miles out of the total 27,000 miles. What a pity.

MICELI MISFORTUNE
It cannot be said that luck is on Matteo Miceli’s side.: the uninhabitable catamaran Biondina Nera (only 6 meters long), with which between 2006 and 2007 he completed the Atlantic crossing from Las Palmas (Canary Islands) to Guadeloupe, a total of 2,800 miles, in 14 days, 17 hours and 52 minutes, was lost while the Roman was attempting the record distance on the Dakar-Guadaloupe route in January 2011 paired with Tullio Picciolini. Again, the two had been recovered from a freighter.

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This was not needed. While on her way home during her nonstop solo round-the-world attempt, Matteo Miceli’s Echo 40 lost her keel in the Atlantic when she was about two days from crossing the Equator. Matthew managed to get out of the capsized boat and is now aboard the life raft next to the boat. He was able to take with him food, water, satellite phone and iPad, with which he is able to get his location and communicate it to rescuers. A freighter is already approaching its position.
We will keep you updated on recovery operations.