British tall ship sinks in Tenerife
A tall ship, the Jean de la Lune, has sunk while moored at a harbour in Tenerife. There are no reports of casualties.
The oak vessel was at the Marina San Miguel, which is close to Reina Sofia airport at the far south of the island.
The two-masted brigantine was built in Lorient in Brittany in 1957 as a fishing vessel, but that activity ended in the 1970s.
She was then used predominantly for sail training, and also for an Operation Raleigh expedition.
Her latest guise was as a floating hotel operated by Tall Ship Experience – which offered up to 20 guests accommodation from €39 per night including breakfast.
“Live your dreams on board a real ocean-going ship,” prospective guests were told on the sailjdl.co.uk website. “This is not a sailing holiday but a relaxing stay in a marina.”
The crew also lived on board. Several years ago the ship was offering voyages such as Lisbon to La Coruna.
The website promises: “The ship is fit for sea and fully functioning when needed.”
In 2017, a “Just Giving” appeal was launched to seek £3,000 “for urgent repairs to our ship’s timbers.”
The Independent has sought a response from the owner, Joanna Whittaker.
