A BRITISH father has been found dead in his boat after taking on the challenge of rowing 3,000 miles across the Atlantic.
Michael Holt, 54, was tragically found dead in his cabin 700 miles after the charity challenge – four weeks after setting off.
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British father Michael Holt found dead in his boat Credit: WNS
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Michael told his friends that he was suffering from seasickness. Credits: WNS
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Welshman Michael posted updates throughout the journey – during which he faced challenges such as strong winds, the loss of an oar and even a shark attack on his helm.
He set out on January 27 on a 2,942-mile voyage that was expected to take between 40 and 110 days to complete.
Michael was 700 miles into an epic paddling adventure from Gran Canaria to Barbados.
His family said they had lost contact with him. Michael, a type 1 diabetic, was found dead in his cabin two days later.
He had previously told friends he was seasick when he began to feel ill.
Just a few days before the tragedy, he lost his oar and cut his hand when a strong wave “almost threw him off the deck”.
His family said Michael was “well prepared” and had a spare paddle in case of such emergencies and had medical supplies to avoid infection.
The February 15 update told how his boat was attacked by a terrifying 10-foot shark – believed to be a shark.
The announcement read: “Then something very unusual happened; the shark seemed to try to bite the rudder!
“Michael could hear and feel the commotion, and in his own words ‘it sounded like a shark had a party with my rudder’!
“This is extremely unusual for this to happen, and it’s probably a case of him fishing under the boat and grabbing the rudder by mistake – but Michael took it all in his stride, and after the sharks left, he just kept paddling.”
His grieving brother David said: “Last night the fishing vessel Noruego accepted the mission of the Cape Verde Joint Rescue Coordination Center and headed directly for Michael’s coordinates.
“Unfortunately, upon arrival, Michael was found dead in his cabin.
“Of course this wasn’t the final conclusion we were looking for, but it gives me some comfort to know that he died doing something he absolutely wanted to do with a passion and managed to row over 700 miles in the process. An achievement in itself.
“This is a huge shock to me, his wife Lynne and daughter Scarlett and my parents, not to mention extended family and friends.
“Thank you very much for the kind words and wishes you have already sent us over the past few days. They mean a lot to the whole family.”
Michael, originally from Porthmadog, North Wales, lived in the Wirral and raised money for the charity and voluntary service Mind and Liverpool.
Last year the football fan rowed solo across the Irish Sea from Porthmadog Harbor to Wicklow and back to raise money for Porthmadog FC.
In 2015, Mike underwent double reconstructive surgery on both shoulders, a treatment that involved inserting around 20 titanium rods into his body.
He said the surgery was needed because of a “self-inflicted accident” related to his diabetes treatment that he cannot remember because he was so ill.
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Dad was found dead in his cabin four weeks after he left for the trip. Credits: WNS
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Michael hoped to row from Gran Canaria to Barbados Credit: WNS
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Dad raised money for charity and volunteering services Mind and Liverpool Credit: WNS
Categories: Optical Illusion
Source: HIS Education