Search for Captain Donald Lawson Suspended
The search for missing sailor Captain Donald Lawson off the coast of Acapulco has been suspended. On July 5, Lawson left Acapulco headed for Baltimore via the Panama Canal aboard his ORMA 60 Defiant. On July 9 he informed his wife Jacqueline Lawson, also known as Tori, that he was having engine issues that were preventing him from charging his batteries. Then, on July 12, his sole remaining power source, a wind generator, was damaged in a storm. On July 13 the couple decided Lawson would return to Acapulco for repairs. He was approximately 300 miles southwest of the city. That was the last communication anyone had with Defiant.
Almost two weeks later, on July 23, a Mexican search plane spotted the capsized Defiant 275 miles off the coast of Acapulco, but due to the sea conditions, no one was able to reach the boat until July 27. A search concluded that no one was aboard the trimaran, and that the boat’s liferaft was nowhere to be seen. Subsequent searches involving the Mexican navy and the US Coast Guard found no evidence of Lawson or his liferaft. It is believed Defiant had an EPIRB, which has not been triggered.
Jacqueline Lawson issued a statement on August 4, reiterating her hopes that her husband is still alive. “Donald is an experienced sailor with the skills, expertise, grit, and determination to survive, even in these difficult circumstances. The life raft that was on board Defiant when Donald left Acapulco on July 5 still has not been located, which gives me hope that he is still out there somewhere, waiting to be rescued. My family and I will continue to provide updates as we receive them from Mexican authorities. Meantime, please keep my husband in your prayers.”
In May 2022, Lawson sailed Defiant (then, still named Mighty Merloe) into San Francisco Bay during a passage from her former Southern California home to Seattle. His mission along the way was to introduce the boat and his nonprofit Dark Seas Project to West Coast sailors. An African American sailor, Lawson announced his goal to break multiple sailing records while carrying the message of diversity, equity and inclusion, and environmental stewardship.
Donald and Tori spent a month or so anchored off Half Moon Bay Yacht Club, and we offered them the use of our facilities, which they accepted. So I had the opportunity to get to know them better. Very decent folks, and his sailing resume is exemplary. I also had the opportunity to sail on Mighty Merloe when she was in SF bay, which was an awesome experience. We hit 26.5 kts of boat speed in about 18 kts of wind with a reefed main and a J3 up. It is very sad for the sailing world, and for me personally, that Donald is missing at sea. We can only still hope against all odds that he is alive in the life raft.
We met them Christmas day, provided them dinner and items for their trip through the Panama canal the next day. They messaged us three days into their trip that their engine died and they wanted to stay with us and have us get engine help. We set it up and didn’t hear from them for a month when they got to Acapulco. I’d love to post a photo of Too and Donald taken Christmas day in Coronado if there is a way to do it. Such a loss, we remain hopeful that he survived that month, that he may still be floating.