Capsized rowers are welcomed home

The rowers arrived on Tuesday afternoon

A team of rowers whose boat capsized during a transatlantic record attempt are back home on the Isles of Scilly.

Hundreds of people were on the quay at St Mary's when the crew of the Scilly Boys arrived on the Scillonian.

The crew - known as The Scilly Boys - were plucked from a life raft by a container ship which arrived in Gibraltar on Sunday.

They had been trying to beat the 100-year-old record for rowing from New York to Bishop's Rock.

Sophie Garratt, sister of rower Tim Garratt, said it was a "huge relief" to see them again.

"It's been a long, long wait, suddenly seeing them on the bridge was just a great relief for everybody."

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

The rowers were rescued by the oil tanker Gulf Grace

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

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

Their boat is currently lost - its emergency beacon last gave a position about 70 miles off the Canadian coast but has since stopped working.

They have yet to decide if they will make a second attempt at the record, which currently stands at 55 days and 13 hours.

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

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