Sir Peter Blake

It now appears that the great New Zealand yachtsman died trying to defend his crew.

New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark (left) aboard
Seamaster with Peter and Pippa Blake

Further details have slowly been emerging of the heroic role Sir Peter Blake played trying to defend his crew in the final moments of his life.

Seamaster, Blake's 36m aluminium hulled schooner was lying at anchor off the Brazilian port of Macapa on the northern bank of the Amazon in the north of Brazil. The crew were enjoying a late night beer in the cockpit when they were boarded by armed pirates wearing balaclavas and crash helmets.

On hearing the commotion above him, Blake grabbed the boat's rifle and went up on deck to try and deal with the situation. Blake fired at the bandits and is believed to have seriously injured one before the pirates opened fire on him. One bullet hit him in the heart killing him instantly. It is believed around 10 shots were fired four of which hit Blake and one ricochet injured another crewman.

Emphasising that he did not have a detailed picture of events, Blake's long-time business partner, Alan Sefton explains what happened as he understands it. "Peter went to his cabin for a rifle that was kept onboard. As he came out of the cabin into the main salon area that is where the gunmen where. Shots were exchanged and Peter got at least one shot away. We believe, but it is not certain, that he shot the gunman."

The nine crew were then lined up and had their wallets, cameras and watches taken. An outboard motor and a tender were also stolen. The real sadness of the incident was the cost of Blake's life compared to the puny amount of booty the raiders were able to make off with. Reports from the crew say, "It was typical Peter that he was charging to defend his boat and his crew."

Seamaster, a research vessel design by Olivier Petit and Luc Bouvet, originally built for Antarctic exploration, had just completed a two month tour of the Amazon on behalf of Peter Blake's company blakexpeditions, who monitor the effects of global warming and pollution on the most environmentally sensitive areas of the world. Seamaster was in Macapa waiting to clear customs before sailing north to explore the Orinoco river in Venezuela.

On 17 November New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark (pictured above with Peter and Pippa Blake) visited the boat in Barceleus on the Rio Negro. Peter's wife Lady Pippa Blake had only left to return home to their home in Emsworth on 30 November.

While pointing out that the final decision rests with Lady Pippa Blake, Sefton thought it was likely that Sir Peter's body would be returned to the UK rather than his native new Zealand.

There is also the future of the expedition to be resolved. At the time of Blake's death, the jungle team were waiting to be picked up by Seamaster. "The jungle team have had their own little meeting and they have voted that they want to finish the expedition because they think that is what Peter would want. We have got the same sentiments coming from Seamaster," said Sefton. The likelihood is that the Seamaster will go around the coast to the Orinoco to pick up the other members of the team.

In Blake's native Auckland, Team New Zealand, which Blake originally founded, opened their base to the public and mourners were queueing up outside to drop flowers and messages of respect to one of their country's most celebrated heroes. At the Volvo Ocean Race village in Sydney, flags were flown at half mast and it was announced that there will be a minute's silence in homage to Sir Peter Blake when the race restarts on 26 December.

"The irony of it is that the boat has been up the top end of the Negro in remote territory and all they encountered was wonderful warm friendly people. When they got back to civilisation this is what goes down," says Sefton.

Civilisation indeed.

Page two.... A tribute to Sir Peter Blake.