The Australian Maritime Authority has issued an all ships alert
asking commercial vessels to keep a watch out for the catamaran Doha
2006, with Tony Bullimore and crew on board, whose arrival off
Western Australia is now overdue.

Tony and his crew on the 102ft catamaran have been out of contact
with the outside world since November 7 when their satellite phone
went down, four days after leaving the Maldives bound for Hobart,
Tasmania.

Lee Bruce, Tony’s weather router, had expected the crew to be off
Western Australia today at the latest, but now believes that 30 knot
head winds and sharp 4 to 5 metre seas, running off Western
Australia, are likely to delay Tony Bullimore’s approach towards Cape
Leeuwin.

Bruce explains: ‘Two primary weather systems are affecting the region
from Madagascar to Australia. A frontal boundary is moving eastward
and a centre of low pressure is drifting westward off southwest
Australia. The front is expected to slow and one or more low centres
may develop on it over the next few days.

Barry Pickthall, running Team Bullimore’s control centre in the UK,
said today. ‘There is no concern for the crew at this stage. We know
that their satellite communications system has gone down, so Tony is
unable to contact us by phone or e.mail. We expect the crew to make a
stop at Fremantle, or another port, to get the system repaired and,
since the catamaran should be close to the shipping lanes by now,
asked the Coastguard to alert vessels in the area to report any
sightings.”

The catamaran has 3 EPIRBs on board, none of which have been
activated. — BYM News,
http://www.bymnews.com/new/content/view/38063/50/