Yacht charterers Sunsail and their sister chartering companies Stardust and Crown Blue Line, which organises canal boat trips in Europe and the UK, have had to cut 220 jobs worldwide.

The problems follow the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington two months ago because potential US customers are now reluctant to fly.

A further 880 jobs have also been cut from the parent company First Choice stable, such as First Choice itself, Travel Choice, Hayes & Jarvis, Longshot Golf, Meon Villas, Air 2000, First Choice Ski, Holiday Hypermarkets, Sovereign, Sunquest, Travel Choice, Unijet, Viking Aviation and others.

In the December issue of Yachting Monthly we incorrectly stated in On Watch that the total number of job-cuts had come only from Sunsail, Stardust and Crown Blue Line.