Fed: Missing yacht woman is soccer boss s niece

AAP General News (Australia)
04-04-2001
Fed: Missing yacht woman is soccer boss s niece

The 18-year-old woman feared drowned after a yachting accident on the New South Wales
north coast is the niece of British soccer manager JOE KINNEAR.

Bad weather is today hampering the search for CHARLOTTE LENAS, who was one of six Britons
on board a yacht which capsized and sank near Evans Head on Sunday.

British woman LINDA YARR, 35, died in the tragedy but four crewmates survived after
swimming 16 hours to shore.

KINNEAR, who manages the Luton Town soccer club, describes Ms LENAS as a wonderful
and gifted kid.

He's told London newspaper The Mirror that he's praying for a miracle.

He's says she was one of the most fantastic swimmers he knows.

Ms LENAS' parents, PAUL and AMELIA - KINNEAR'S sister - are preparing to fly to Australia.

The paper says the family is clinging to the hope that CHARLOTTE is just missing but okay.

He says CHARLOTTE, from Watford, was on a gap year before going on to study history
at university.

She loved sailing and had spent months saving for the trip.

Four crewmembers - EMMA STACEY, 22, skipper ANDY HUNT, 26, TOBY ARROWSMITH, 30, and
32-year-old JONATHON EVANS - managed to survive the tragedy.

PA RTV sp/alt

KEYWORD: YACHT (SYDNEY)

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