The sailor who spent 73 days in an inflatable in the South Atlantic after his yacht Surprise was capsized by a killer whale, has died. Italian-born Ambrogio Fogar was 64.

Fogar had been attempting a circumnavigation of Antarctica in 1978 with a pal, Mauro Mancini when disaster struck. The pair were eventually picked up by a Greek freighter.

He became well known in British yachting circles after entering the fourth single-handed transatlantic race in 1972. During the race he lost the use of his rudder and his radio but battled on finishing 26th out of 54.