Roy Disney rescues competitor from sinking yacht in Transpac

SAN DIEGO (AP) — A crew in the 50th Transpacific Race was rescued by fellow competitor Roy Disney, the grandnephew of Walt Disney, after abandoning its sinking 70-foot sailboat early Monday.

Race officials said Disney’s Pyewacket picked up the nine-man crew of John Sangmeister’s OEX and that all were safe. Pyewacket, which has a crew of 10, was heading back to Los Angeles.

Race chairman Tom Trujillo said officials later learned that OEX sank. The yacht reported that its rudder post was damaged, causing it to take on water.

Sangmeister was part of Dennis Conner’s winning America’s Cup campaign in 1986-87 and sailed again with Conner in 1992.

Also Monday, the trimaran Maserati reported it collided with a floating object while sailing at 23 to 24 knots, damaging the bow of the port hull and the wing on the rudder.

The crew reported that it stopped for an hour to repair what it could and then resumed sailing.