A YACHT disaster that claimed the life of a young Hampshire sailor and three crew mates may have been due to structural weakness in the boat, an official report has said.

James Male, 22, from Romsey, died along with Andrew Bridge, 22, Steve Warren, 52, and Paul Goslin, 56, after the Cheeki Rafiki capsized in the Atlantic Ocean.

The four had been taking part in a regatta in Antigua and were sailing back to Southampton when their vessel capsized about 720 miles east-north-east of Nova Scotia on May 16 last year.

Now a Marine Accident Investigation Branch report has now found that the vessel capsized and inverted after its keel detached, which could have been caused by previous groundings and subsequent repairs.

The crew were probably fatigued and their performance was impaired, the report reveals.

It says: “In the absence of survivors and material evidence, the causes of the accident remain a matter of some speculation.

“However, it is concluded that Cheeki Rafiki capsized and inverted following a detachment of its keel. In the absence of any apparent damage to the hull or rudder other than that directly associated with keel detachment, it is unlikely that the vessel had struck a submerged object.

“It is also possible that one of more keel bolts had deteriorated. A consequential loss of strength may have allowed movement of the keel, which would have been exacerbated by increased transverse loading through sailing in worsening sea conditions.”

The US Coast Guard searched a 4,000 square mile area of the Atlantic after the boat capsized and the upturned hull of the yacht was eventually found on May 23.

The report added that the yacht's operator, Stormforce Coaching Ltd, has made changes to its internal policies and has taken action to prevent a similar incident happening again.

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) has undertaken work with the Royal Yachting Association to clarify the requirements for the stowage of inflatable life rafts on yachts like Cheeki Rafiki, and the yachting association has drafted enhancements to its sea survival handbook regarding keel failures.

The MAIB recommended that the British Marine Federation should cooperate with certifying authorities, manufacturers and repairs to develop best practice and guidance across the industry to deal with hull repairs.

It has also been suggested that sporting governing bodies should issue guidance to raise awareness of potential damage to vessels caused by grounding.

Friends of James' rallied round after the tragic incident and have raised thousands of pounds for the RNLI's Forever by the Seas fund in his memory.