Shropshire woman feared lost at sea found safe and well
A former Shropshire woman who was feared lost at sea with her husband after a huge storm struck their yacht has been found safe and well after five days adrift.
Mrs Went-Alleyne , 59, who is originally from Donnington, Telford, was sailing from St Lucia in the eastern Caribbean Sea to Barbados with her husband of 26 years, Arthur Alleyne, 63, when they were reported missing at the weekend.
The last contact with the couple, who live in St Lucia, was at 2pm on Saturday. But last night, following a massive search and rescue mission organised by their children, who live in the UK, the yacht Mr Alleyne was sailing with his wife was found "drifting".
The daughter of Mrs Went-Alleyne has spoken of her relief after her mother and stepfather were found safe and well.
Tao, 24, said: "'They've been found – apart from being hungry and a bit dehydrated they are safe and well."
Tao said she feared her parents were caught in a storm, causing the boat to lose power.
On Saturday, the couple had been returning a yacht, called Serenity, to its owner on Barbados.
Tao said she last heard from her mother on Friday before they set sail and she was in good spirits and looking forward to the trip, which her stepfather had undertaken many times.
The couple met when Sharon and her family moved from Shropshire to Barbados in 1967.
Tao said she finally spoke to her mother late yesterday afternoon – five days after losing all contact with their craft, a 47ft sloop called Serenity.
The couple now lives on the island country of St Lucia in the eastern Caribbean Sea.
Tao, who grew up on St Lucia but who now lives in the UK, believed her parents were caught up in a storm, causing their boat to lose power and drift. A massive search and rescue operation was put in place to find the couple, and they were finally located yesterday.
She said: ""I called his (dad's) number and he answered which is the first time since Saturday that we've had contact. He told me both he and my mother were hungry and dehydrated but they are fine."
Tao later posted on Facebook: "They've been found!"
"Dad has just contacted me! Both safe and sound, boat okay too! Thank you to everyone who has been helping in the search."
An hour later she wrote: "My siblings and I would just like to express how grateful we are to everyone who helped us during these past few days in the search for our parents.
"Whether you were part of the search and rescue, someone who was passing along the relevant information to different authorities, someone who was sharing the news via media for us or even just someone who was praying for us and our family – we thank you.
"We are overwhelmed by the love and support from friends and strangers alike and couldn't have made it through without all of your help! We are so pleased to be able to announce that they have been found safe and well! We have no details as of yet; I'm sure it will be an epic tale though. Once again thank you so much everyone."
Martinique and Barbados had been sending out search and rescue planes to try to find the couple since Sunday night. They flew all day on Monday from the North coast of Martinique straight down to Barbados' South coast.
St Lucia also had their marine police involved in the search.
Mum-of-one, Tao, who now lives in Treherbert, South Wales, said the last contact with the boat was at 2pm on Saturday, but a "strange voicemail" came in to one of the couple's friends at 3.15pm on Sunday.
Tao said: "In the voicemail, there was the sound of wind whipping and waves crashing, and in the background we could faintly hear the voices of the two people but we couldn't make out what they were saying over the noise.
"We think the voices may be Mum and Dad but we don't know if they were in distress at that time. They both sound very calm but even if the weather was awful Dad would have been relaxed – that's the kind of man he is. He's seen almost everything over the last 40 years."
The couple met when Mrs Went-Alleyne's family moved from Shropshire, to Barbados in 1967, when they were children. They have been married 26 years and Sharon often accompanies Arthur on boating trips.
Mr Alleyne, who has more than 40-years sailing experience, is the former captain of the Brigg Unicorn, a ship that featured extensively in the Pirates of the Caribbean films.
Tao, along with the couple's other daughter, Nicola Shepherd, made an urgent appeal for information.
A spokesman for the Foreign Office has said it was aware of the situation and that it was liaising with the coastguard.
