Dalton's SOS sends plane on mercy dash

By PAUL YANDALL

The Royal Australian Air Force was early today flying urgently needed medicine to a seriously ill sailor aboard Grant Dalton's round-the-world yacht.

Keith Kilpatrick is in severe pain from a suspected blocked intestine, a potentially fatal illness, on board the Amer Sports One yacht in the Southern Ocean.

But the yacht is almost out of medication, and the Orion was called in last night after race organisers decided Kilpatrick's condition could not be left untreated.

The yacht is one of seven racing the second leg, from Cape Town to Sydney, of the Volvo Ocean Race.

It was expected to be about 1200 nautical miles southwest of Western Australia when the drop was to take place about 3 am New Zealand time.

The yacht has been buffeted by heavy seas and winds of up to 40 knots over the past two days, making communication with it difficult.

But Dalton was able to send an e-mail message to race headquarters in Southampton, England, yesterday evening saying Kilpatrick was in pain but his condition had stabilised.

"Keith is in good spirits and well aware of the situation. Roger Nilson [the onboard doctor] is doing an outstanding job," he said.

"We are continuing to sail as fast as we can. The faster we can get to Australia the sooner we will be able to get Keith to land."

Kilpatrick, aged 40, an American and one of the yacht's trimmers and riggers, began vomiting almost immediately after eating a dinner of freeze-dried food on Monday.

His condition deteriorated quickly and he has been kept on a saline solution intravenous drip to keep him hydrated. He has been unable to hold down food or water.

Dr Nilson, the only physician sailing with the fleet on this leg of the race, used the yacht's supply of antibiotics and morphine to quell the severe abdominal pain but has run out of the drugs.

It is unknown exactly what is causing the blockage but sufferers are often diagnosed with intestinal adhesions or tumours.

Stomach contractions to clear the blockage can cause extreme pain and victims can die if the obstruction is not removed.

The freeze-dried food is not believed to be the cause of the illness.

The Royal Australian Air Force sent an Orion from its Adelaide base yesterday afternoon.

The aircraft was to zero in on the yacht's locator beacon before releasing boxes of medicine containing more saline solution and morphine.

The yacht is still too far from land for an airlift to be attempted and is not expected to come within the 200-mile range of Australian rescue helicopters until Sunday.

Australian Maritime Safety Authority spokesman David Gray said efforts were being made to rescue Kilpatrick by sea before then.

"We are attempting to contact any ships in the area but that might be a problem because they are pretty well below shipping lanes."

Volvo Ocean Race chief executive Helge Alten said: "The Australian search and rescue authorities have responded quickly to our request for assistance. We are working with them to get Keith to a hospital as soon as possible."

Last night, the yacht was sailing sixth out of the seven contestants, about 196 miles behind race leg leader SEB.

The nearest boat to her was News Corp, about 155 miles ahead.

Most of the fleet is now heading north towards Eclipse Island off the southwestern tip of Australia.