New twist in the death of a father rowing across the Atlantic Ocean whose lifeless body was found in a boat after being attacked by a shark
A FATHER found dead in a boat while rowing across the Atlantic Ocean died of injuries after being “struck by a wave”, an inquest heard.
Michael Holt54, set off on its doomed 3,000 miles charity drive to Barbados on January 27.
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The Welshman took off from Gran Canaria on January 27 and left for the Caribbean for pickup money for charity – a trip that Michael estimates could take “between 50 and 110 days”.
He posted regular updates during the journey, which included high winds, the loss of an oar and even a shark attack.
But some 700 miles into the epic adventure, tragedy has struck the British rower.
His family lost contact with him on February 23 and two days later the father-of-one became sad found dead in his cabin.
An inquest has now revealed that Michael suffered multiple injuries after his ship was hit by a wave.
At the inquest into Michael’s death at Gerard Majella’s courthouse in Liverpool earlier this week, senior coroner Andre Rebello said the cause of death was “polytrauma due to accidental injury”. Wirral Sphere reports.
Michael is said to have suffered polytrauma – multiple injuries at once – when a wave hit his boat and nearly overturned it.
Mr Rebello added: “This was a tragic accidental death. Mr. Holt’s heroic efforts resulted in a fatal accident, which makes things very difficult.”
The mammoth rowing had taken two years of grueling training, much of which the experienced rower had filmed.
He expected to row his rowboat for more than 16 hours a day small ship, called Mynadd, and live on just four hours of sailing sleep.
An update from his family on February 15 said his boat was attacked by a terrifying 10-foot shark – believed to be a fearsome oceanic whitetip.
He felt the shark bite the rudder, but he “took it all in stride… and continued rowing.”
Brave Michael also spotted three orcas swimming around his boat at one point in the journey.
Just days before the tragedy, he lost an oar and cut his hand when a powerful wave “almost knocked him overboard.”
He then told his relatives that he was suffering from seasickness, which he attributed to a bad reaction to “taking some” antibiotics“.
As a result, he decided to postpone his trip to Barbados and row 300 miles south to Cape Verde.
An update read: “Michael is upset and doesn’t want to let people down, but also understands that his life is much more valuable than this crossing, and he needs to get to land.”
But concerns mounted when no one could make contact and spotter planes and a fishing vessel were dispatched to locate him.
His grieving brother David broke the news of his death Facebook last month.
The statement read: “Last evening, the fishing vessel Noruego accepted an assignment from the Cape Verde Joint Rescue Coordination Center and headed directly to Michael’s coordinates.
“Very sadly, Michael was found dead in his cabin upon arrival.
“Of course this wasn’t the ultimate conclusion we were looking for, but I am somewhat comforted knowing that he died doing something he was absolutely passionate about, rowing more than 700 miles. An achievement in itself.
“This is a huge shock to myself, his wife Lynne and daughter Scarlett and my parents, not to mention wider family and friends.
“Thank you very much for the kind words and wishes you have already sent us in recent days. They mean a lot to the whole family.”
Mr Holt, originally from Porthmadog, North Waleslived in the Wirral and raised money for Mind and Liverpool Charity and Voluntary Services.
He has already raised £2,500 for Mind and a further £3,500 for Liverpool Charity and Voluntary Services (LCVS).
The experienced rower said he chose the charity Mind because of a friend who committed suicide last year.
“Mind Cymru was a charity I never expected to raise money for. But such is my desire to do something on behalf of my wonderful friend that it is my absolute pleasure to raise money on behalf of this wonderful charity,” he wrote on his Just Giving page.