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Vendée Globe: »Do you know these films about shipwrecks? That's how it was. Only worse «

2020-12-01T22:27:18.679Z


Within four seconds the boat bored into the wave - then it broke in two. After his accident, skipper Kevin Escoffier spoke about his rescue by a competitor.


Icon: enlarge

Kevin Escoffier's yacht - here still undamaged after taking off from Les Sables d Olonne

Photo: ALEXIS COURCOUX / imago images / PanoramiC

Circumnavigator Kevin Escoffier is safe.

The Frenchman was rescued early Tuesday morning by his Vendée Globe competitor Jean Le Cam after an accident in the Southern Ocean and is with him on board the yacht “Yes We Cam!”.

The first video sequences from board showed the happy Escoffier in his survival suit.

“Do you know those films about shipwrecks?

That's how it was. Only worse, "said Escoffier between laughing and tearing hair in a first interview:" Within four seconds the boat drilled itself into the wave and the bow folded up 90 degrees.

I put my head down in the cockpit when a wave came.

I had time to send a text message.

It said, “I need help.

I'm sinking

That's no joke. ”Then the wave paralyzed the electronics.

It was totally crazy.

Then it split the boat in two.

I've seen a lot, but that ... "

Escoffier had to give up his boat "PRB" on Monday afternoon at 2:46 p.m. German time after a rapid ingress of water.

He had transferred to the life raft 840 nautical miles southwest of Cape Town.

After the first visual contact between Le Cam and Escoffier, the life raft was initially out of sight in strong winds and waves up to five meters high when it was dark.

Boris Herrmann, who was diverted to the scene of the accident with his "Seaexplorer - Yacht Club de Monaco" and two other boats, reported on Tuesday how the search for Escoffier had gone.

He had been assigned a sector that he should search closely.

That would have "taken maybe 15 or 20 hours," he said.

"You become aware of what kind of needle in the haystack we are looking for here." In addition, due to the cold and the heavy swell, it was foreseeable that such a long search would not be able to be carried out continuously.

"Fortunately, Kevin was saved," said Herrmann.

Rescuer Le Cam later described that happy moment as follows: "Suddenly I saw lightning." A reflection.

The 61-year-old Le Cam immediately drove in their direction, spotted Escoffier there and threw him a life preserver.

The race control received the message at 2:18 a.m.

Nothing is known about the further fate of Kevin Escoffier and his shipwreck.

The only thing that's clear is that he won't be able to complete the solo race with Le Cam.

Food on board is rationed for only one person.

Dropping the shipwrecked man in Cape Town would be a possibility.

The incident shows once again what dangers the skippers can be exposed to.

There have been deaths in the history of the Vendée Globe.

Le Cam, the rescuer, knows how tight it can get in the ocean race.

During the Vendée Globe 2008/2009, he was the one who had to be pulled out of the water.

His boat had capsized near Cape Horn.

Icon: The mirror

ara / mon / dpa / sid

Source: spiegel

All sports articles on 2020-12-01

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