GuoChuan's team: Helicopter platform urgently needed for search and rescue

BEIJING - The support team of Chinese sailor Guo Chuan on Friday announced the continuous need of support for the search and rescue of the missing Chinese sailor.

Guo started his challenge on Oct 19 from San Francisco with his Super Trimaran "China Qingdao" heading for Shanghai, hoping to set a new cross-pacific sailing record.

The communication between the trimaran and his onshore support team ceased on Oct 25.

US Naval ships were sent after request to approach the drifting trimaran and found no one on board.

According to GuoChuan's team, it is still possible that Guo fell in the water with his life jacket on and the water temperature is over 25 degree Celsius, rescue work is still going on.

Guo's team told Xinhua that a company in Hawaii is willing to offer helicopters, however the distance between assumed location and the islands are far. The team is urgently need ships with helicopter platforms near the area for refueling and announced an email hot-line: jessie.zhou@chinasportbusiness.com.

Guo is the first Chinese offshore sailor who completed the VOLVO Ocean Race, and the first who participated in the Mini Transat sailing event.

Guo is also the first to complete solo non-stop circumnavigation in a 40ft yacht and created a new record, recognized by WSSRC and Guinness.

He also created a record of crossing Arctic Ocean's Northeast passage in 2015.