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Adventurer Jean-Jacques Savin testing his rowing boat in May 2021
Photo: PHILIPPE LOPEZ / AFP
A 75-year-old French adventurer has died trying to row across the Atlantic alone. The Portuguese coast guard first discovered Jean-Jacques Savin's sunken boat off the Azores on Friday. Finally, on Saturday, a Coast Guard diver found Savin's body in the boat's cabin, his support team said. The exact circumstances of the accident have yet to be clarified.
The enthusiastic triathlete and former paratrooper left the southern tip of mainland Portugal on January 1 for the Atlantic crossing.
Shortly thereafter he had to take a longer route due to unfavorable wind conditions.
In the night to Friday, contact with Savin broke off when he signaled by launching two flares that he was in an emergency.
In 2019, Savin crossed the Atlantic in a barrel in 127 days.
At the time, thousands of people followed his adventure on the online network Facebook.
This time, Savin wanted to reach the Caribbean in an eight-meter-long, five-foot-wide rowboat loaded with 300 kilograms of gear and supplies.
Savin celebrated his 75th birthday on January 14 with foie gras and champagne aboard his boat.
He described the planned crossing of the Atlantic in a rowing boat as an opportunity to "laugh at old age."
His rowing boat was called "L'Audacieux", which means "The Bold".
His team's statement on the death of Jean-Jacques Savin said: "This time the sea was stronger than our friend who loved the sea so much."
ok/AFP