A former Tiffin Girls’ student who spent 40 hours drifting in a lifeboat 300-miles off the Brazilian coast is recovering in her north Kingston home, after her dream round-the-world voyage ended in nightmare.

Sarah Calascione, 19, was one of 41 students on-board the Canadian sail training ship Concordia when it capsized in 15 seconds during a freak storm on Wednesday, February 17, before sinking 30 minutes later.

She has since been catapulted to national fame, appearing in newspapers, on websites and on the television news.

The 19-year-old, who paid £25,000 for the trip, said: “The wall became the floor and then the power went off and the engine alarm went off and I could hear things crashing and breaking.

“I fell through the door and just fell into [my] room. The door was above my head and I couldn’t reach it to get out..”She was pulled from the cabin after a crew member heard her cries, and all students and 23 crew members survived after scrambling on to rubber dingies amid torrential rain and powerful waves.

Ms Calascione said: “I didn’t think we were going to be rescued. It was horrible. The radio equipment was damaged so we only had an Epirb [emergency position-indicating radio beacon], which sends out a satellite signal, but that wasn’t picked up straight away.

“It wasn’t until 30 hours later that a plane saw our life raft. I managed to scramble off the ship and I wasn’t injured except for my back.”

Her parents Caroline and Jonathan, both 48, were told about the emergency on Friday morning, and endured more than 24 hours wondering if their daughter had survived.

Mrs Calascione said: “We were told there had been a distress signal and spotter planes and navy boats had been deployed but there was no sign of the Concordia.

“It was a very harrowing and emotional experience. It wasn’t until we received a phone call from Sarah on Saturday that we knew she was safe.”

Ms Calascione, who is due to start a history course at Exeter University in September, said: “I had only been on the ship for a couple of weeks and this was supposed to be a five-month adventure. My whole dream disappeared in 15 seconds.”

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