Injured British sailor abandons yacht, rescued by cargo ship

NEW YORK (AP) Officials with the Transat bakerly trans-Atlantic race say an injured British sailor abandoned his yacht and was rescued by a cargo ship.

Officials say Richard Tolkien suffered a head injury while trying to clear a sail after part of the rigging was damage.

After assessment by satellite phone with his shore crew and race officials, a call was placed to the Anton Topic and the decision was made to have Tolkien abandon ship.

Tolkien was transferred to the cargo ship late Friday. The ship is due into Philadelphia on Wednesday.

There have been four other retirements due to boat damage and a retirement due to a boat colliding with a cargo ship.

The race is from Plymouth, England, to Brooklyn.