CREWS STILL SEARCHING FOR 4 SAILORS

May 8, 2007

PORTSMOUTH, Va. – The Coast Guard continues to search this afternoon for the four sailors on the 54-foot Flying Colours, missing off the coast of North Carolina.

Missing are Patrick Topping, 39, the master of the ship; Jason Franks, 34; Rhiannon Borisoff, 22; and Christine Grinavic. Topping and Franks are both experienced sailors, both having their captain’s licenses.

The Flying Colours is home-ported in Washington, D.C., and the crew was transiting from St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, to Annapolis, Md.

A Coast Guard C-130 airplane is searching a 100-square-mile area, and the Coast Guard Cutter Tampa is battling heavy seas en route to join the search.

Coast Guard search and rescue coordinators received an electronic distress signal from the sailboat early Monday, but the signal stopped at about 4 p.m. It is possible that the crew pulled Flying Colours into port, and turned off the distress signal.

Anyone who has information regarding the Flying Colours is requested to call the Coast Guard Fifth District command center at (757) 398-6390.

CREWS STILL SEARCHING FOR 4 SAILORS

Anyone who has information regarding the Flying Colours is requested to call the Coast Guard Fifth District command center at (757) 398-6390.

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