America’s Cup sailor died of ‘blunt trauma with drowning’
An Olympic gold medalist training for the America’s Cup who perished in San Francisco Bay when his boat capsized died of “blunt trauma with drowning,” according to a medical examiner’s report.
British Olympic gold medalist Andrew “Bart” Simpson was part of an 11-man crew aboard Artemis Racing’s AC72 vessel, training for the upcoming America’s Cup, when the boat flipped northwest of Treasure Island on May 9.
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The accident occurred when the 72-foot boat unexpectedly nose-dived as it was changing direction and later broke into many pieces, America’s Cup officials said. The San Francisco medical examiner determined Simpson was trapped underwater beneath the hull for about 10 minutes before crew members found him, KTVU-TV reported.
Simpson and others were rushed to shore, but despite CPR efforts, officials said he was pronounced dead at the nearby St. Francis Yacht Club.
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At least one other sailor suffered cuts but declined to be taken to a hospital. Simpson, 36, had been serving as the Swedish team’s strategist.
After the crash, America’s Cup officials instituted a slate of new safety measures, including rules designed to tamp down on dangerous speeds. The AC72 craft Simpson was on can sail at more than twice the wind speed.
The San Francisco Police Department was continuing to investigate the crash.
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