friends from his crippled Bermuda-bound yacht.

Ronald House praised the efforts of a cargo ship which collided with his boat in heavy seas some 260 miles off Bermuda.

The collision sent two of Mr. House's friends -- Richard Joseph Miller and Raymond Corona -- flying into the water. The yacht's mast was also knocked over.

The body of Mr. Miller, of Saunderstown, Rhode Island, was recovered by a US Navy helicopter.

An investigation is now underway into how the Panamanian container ship Able Forest struck the sailboat Ankh , which Mr. House skippered.

Ankh , en route to Bermuda from Rhode Island, suffered engine problems about 450 miles east of Cape Henry, Virginia, on Saturday morning.

Mr. House, of Newport, Rhode Island, was injured and his two passengers did not know how to sail the boat on their own.

An emergency beacon was activated and a search and rescue operation was mounted by the Coast Guard Atlantic Area Command Centre in Portsmouth, Virginia.

The Coast Guard said Able Forest changed course to help and somehow a collision occurred.

The two passengers were thrown overboard -- and only Mr. Corona managed to climb back on board.

He and the injured captain were taken aboard the cargo ship and flown by helicopter to the nearby Norfolk-based aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis , where both received treatment. Yesterday a Coast Guard spokesman said Mr.

House sustained rib fractures and was in "stable'' condition on the carrier.

He added Mr. Corona, also of Newport, Rhode Island, suffered multiple contusions and was in "stable'' condition, too.

"Plans are being made for the carrier to fly Mr. Miller to a medical facility in the Norfolk, Virginia, area today.

"Mr. House and Mr. Corona will stay aboard the carrier until it arrives back in Norfolk later this week.'' The spokesman added: "According to an officer aboard the USS John C. Stennis , Mr. House had nothing but praise for the rescue efforts of Able Forest .

"The reason the Able Forest and Ankh collided is unknown and is under investigation.''