A sailboat that developed engine trouble when rope got tangled in her propeller was safely towed into port in Bermuda by the Marine Police.

The Cristina, which had four crew members aboard, was en route from New Jersey when friends reported that she was not heard from in Bermuda as expected on January 5.

Attempts by the crew to contact Bermuda Maritime Operations Centre by high-frequency radio were unsuccessful.

However, they managed to contact a motor vessel, Maersk Dhak>, by short-range VHF radio and its crew passed the message on.

The CristiI>, which was at this point 60 nautical miles north east of Bermuda, reported that it had suffered engine failure as the result of heavy rope — believed to be flotsam — entangled in the propeller.

She encountered further problems first from lack of wind and then later began struggling into increasing headwinds and ran out of fresh water.

The vessel eventually sailed close enough to the East End of the Island to be towed into St. George's on Tuesday by the Marine Police craft Heron .