An experienced sailor is lucky to be alive after his boat sank more than two miles off the coast of Bermuda last night.

Mr. Peter Olander had a terrifying hour-long wait in pitch darkness while a pilot boat and other vessels desperately searched for him.

Mr. Olander was aboard his 38-foot fishing boat Albatross when it struck an unknown object under the water just before 5.30 p.m. The collision tore a huge hole in the boat's hull and within ten minutes she had sunk without trace.

Mr. Olander was able to contact Bermuda Harbour Radio just before launching a life raft and abandoning ship. He then had an anxious wait in the dark while the rescue team searched for him.

Mr. Olander was eventually found by the pilot boat St. David safe and well just over three miles south east of St. David's lighthouse at 6.45 p.m.

He was taken ashore but did not require hospital treatment and was allowed home.

When contacted by The Royal Gazette Mr. Olander said: "I am just very upset at the moment and have no comment to make.'' A Bermuda Harbour Radio duty officer said that the search had been hampered by the fact that it was dark, although fortunately the sea was calm.

"Mr. Olander is an experienced sailor, a very professional guy, but in this case there was nothing he could really do -- it was just one of those things,'' he said.

"We still don't know what the object was that his boat struck. But these sports fishing boats are made of plastic and once they hit something they take on water fast.

"He tried to stem the flow but his water pumps were unable to cope. He also tried to block up the hole with a life jacket. "Unfortunately Mr. Olander didn't have enough time to grab any flares when the boat was sinking. He was just wearing a life jacket so it was lucky that we spotted him.

"This had the potential to be particularly unpleasant. Although Mr. Olander was safe he was still in shock. Spending an hour adrift out in the Atlantic is enough to frighten anyone.''