Storm ends Pacific Ocean attempts

Two British sailors have abandoned attempts to row across the Pacific Ocean and are awaiting rescue after being hit by a tropical storm.

Sarah Outen and Charlie Martell, who were separately attempting to row from Japan to the United States, both made mayday distress calls early yesterday and were last night waiting for the Japanese coastguard to pick them up, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency said.

Ms Outen, 26, whose Pacific row was part of a round-the-world bike and boat expedition, sent a distress signal at 2:04am from her boat Gulliver, the MCA said.

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Seven hours later, Territorial Army Lieutenant Martell, 41, also made a distress call when winds of up to 50 knots and waves of more than 50 ft caused his boat to capsize several times, a spokesman said. Both rowers were hit by Tropical Storm Mawar.

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