5 years ago, the day after the Monaco boat show, our good friends Judith & Robin Black received a call saying there had been a boat crash the previous evening and their lovely son William, who was Bosun on super yacht Burrasca was missing presumed dead. Many friends at the time wanted to help and raise money in his name but to be honest it has taken this long to think clearly about being able to do this. They are now doing something positive in his name within the sailing industry he loved so much. They have set up the Will Black bursary with UK sailing Academy, Uksa to fund new sailers on a kind of scholarship scheme, for youngsters who might not be able to enter the industry otherwise. Judith, Robin and their daughter Rosanna will be on the board to decide each year which youngsters receive this money, and then, when these youngsters leave the academy and get their first job, they will pay back this money to the charity who will then reissue the bursary to someone else, in Will's name. A way for his name to live on and give back to the industry he loved.

On anther note there were so many factors around his accident we were all horrified by, and now feel has to be addressed. As well as doing something positive in his name for the sailing industry they are actively, separately to this fundraising, also raising awareness about the lack of care for crew life, how that is unacceptable and how safety for crew on board super yachts is an important ongoing issue. We all feel there is no one governing body who is accountable for all the different flag ship states around the world and this must change. They have started talking to journalists and also started meeting other families who sadly are in similar situations to us - together their voices are stronger. 

Will's accident- The day after they were told about his disappearance they found out the boat had already left Monaco, after leaving  his belongings with local police. They were flying out to Monaco on the Tuesday, which meant they never even saw the boat he was working on, or met with the Captain or crew he worked with, in fact they never heard from them again. The boat was taken out of European waters by the owners so they couldn't be held accountable for anything to do with the accident, and subsequently put up for sale a month later. They later found out none of the crew was insured by the boat, almost as if none of the crews lives mattered and that the death of William was an inconvenience. They know they can't hope to battle with billionaire Russian boat owners who could drag a court case out over years. But, after hearing about similar horrific accidents that could possibly have been avoided by stricter marine laws and talking to their families, they want to join with them and raise awareness about the fact that the lack of care for human life is not acceptable and needs to change.
Williams accident, after hearing the inquest results, seems to have been a case of him driving the tender (small boat) on his own back out to the large yacht, which was just outside of the harbour. They suspect a swell from another tender in front of him that was going fast (this was seen on cctv) probably knocked him off the boat and he fell into the water, either knocking himself unconscious or breaking his neck as he entered the water. Either way it would have been instantaneous. The boat then kept going and crashed into a moored boat. However the fact there was no life jacket being worn and the kill chord switch had been disabled (under order of the boat possibly to save time- the kill chord stops the boat if the driver takes his hand off the wheel) meant the divers searching for William at the point of the crash site never found his body. If a life jacket had been worn then worst case they would have been able to find his body and have to chance to bring him home and bury him and, best case scenario, if he had only been knocked unconscious they'd still have him with them. Either way safety of crew is such an important issue and one which we can't let go. 

Those of you who knew Williams huge personality and love of life know how devastated this left us all - here's to doing something wonderful in his name.