Deaf woman, 60, rows Atlantic Ocean in world first

Mo O'Brien says her deafness made many elements of her 3,000-mile Atlantic row more challengin

A 60-year-old pharmacy worker has become the first deaf person on record to row an ocean by finishing a 3,000-mile journey across the Atlantic.

Mo O'Brien and her fellow crew members, including her daughter, landed on the Caribbean island of Antigua 49 days after setting out from the Canary Island of La Gomera in December.

Their arrival late on Thursday local time makes them the fastest female trio to complete the challenge.

Ms O'Brien said she felt "relieved".

The Ocean Rowing Society, which is responsible for monitoring ocean rowing records, confirmed the world first.

Ms O'Brien, from Bojewyan Stennack in Cornwall, rowed 3,000 miles (4,828 km) of Atlantic Ocean with her daughter Bird Watts, 32, from Mevagissey in Cornwall, and their friend Claire Allinson, 45, from Exmouth, Devon.

The trio rowed in pairs for four-hour shifts, then had two hours of rest, on a constant cycle for the entirety of the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge.

In addition to the seasickness, blisters and extreme sleep deprivation, Ms O'Brien said it was "very much a learning curve" for the crew to manage her deafness.