Atlantic rowers feared for lives

Wayne Davey struggled to free the boat's life raft

A crewman of a rowing boat which capsized in an Atlantic storm has told how he feared for their lives as he struggled to free a life raft.

The four-strong team of rowers from Cornwall and Scilly had been trying to beat the 100-year-old record for rowing from New York to Bishop's Rock.

Their vessel overturned 13 days into the voyage in 40 ft (12m) high seas.

A container ship rescued them and they are expected to fly back from Gibraltar to Gatwick on Monday.

Tim Garratt, 27, Chris Jenkins, 43, Joby Newton, 19, and Wayne Davey, 30, dubbed the Scilly Boys, were 650 miles (1046km) off the US coast when they hit trouble.

The crew are reunited with friends on the Gulf Grace

"I knew in my head we would all drown out there and gave myself a few more attempts.

"On my fourth attempt I used all my strength to pull it out and it came free and opened up."

The crew spent hours clinging to the life raft before they were picked up by the oil tanker Gulf Grace which took them to Gibraltar.

Only six crossings have been made west to east over the past 100 years.

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