SOS, from minor medical concerns to capsizing which endangers the lives of skippers: when a Vendée Glob e boat is in difficulty, a very precise and very rapid procedure is put in place.
Each boat engaged in the race must establish a document entitled "crisis unit", in which are listed all the people to contact but also the procedure in case of glitches.
Yellow, orange, red
Any incident endangering the safety of the skipper must be reported, unless it attracts admonitions from the organizers as experienced Tuesday by Damien Seguin (Groupe Apicil), who dived under its hull to cut a net hanging from its keel, without informing the PC Course.
“Depending on all the damage that can be listed, there are three levels in a crisis unit: the minor breakage which allows the skipper to repair by means of the ship and leave, the rather serious material damage which means that the boat must give up, and the crisis in which the boat is sinking, ”explains AFP Anne Combier, team manager of Yannick Bestaven's team (Maître CoQ).
These three levels are identified by codes: yellow, orange and red.
“The yellow code is for a minor concern, we warn the race management but we manage internally,” continues Anne Combier.
This is what has just experienced Armel Tripon (L'Occitane en Provence), who diverted Wednesday to La Coruña to repair a problem in the mast at anchor.
Or Jérémie Beyou (Charal), who tries to repair a damaged rudder.
The worst case scenario
“The code orange, the 'pan pan', this is really the case, we launch the crisis unit.
'Pan pan' is for example an engine failure but you are not in danger.
Mayday, there you are in danger, you are no longer autonomous.
Code red is the evacuation of the skipper, ”warns the team manager.
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During the last edition, Kito de Pavant had hit a sperm whale which caused him to lose his keel.
The boat had become unmanageable, there was no choice but to call in the emergency services.
it was the French Southern and Antarctic Territories (TAAF) supply ship, the Marion Dufresnes, on a mission from Reunion Island, which entered into action.
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"In the event of a very big accident, we take over with the CROSS Griz Nez which is the correspondent for all French ships internationally and which receives the pedigree of all offshore racing navigators, schedules, beacons, all the documents ”, notes to AFP the head of the rescue and navigation office in the maritime state action division of the Atlantic maritime prefecture, who does not wish to give her name.
French or foreign aid
“From the moment you have a French vessel engaged, the French State can intervene in all areas, even on the other side of the world,” she continues.
But help from other countries can also be mobilized at the request of the French authorities.
French means can also be projected in areas that do not come under the jurisdiction of the French State, and in this case it is the Cross Griz Nez which coordinates the means of foreign countries available nearby.
What about insurance?
And whatever the means used, "saving human life in France is free," says Sophie Sanquer.
Only the salvage of the goods can be invoiced.
Sailors have insurance, which does not include the mast, sails or foils - these large lateral appendages which raise the hull as much as possible to make the boat run at high speed.
In fact, only total loss is insured.
"For example, if your boat is worth 1 million, in general you pay 7% of this value to the insurance (ie 70,000 euros), you recover the entire value, less the excess which is 200,000 euros in the event of loss. », Explains Anne Combier, who fears more than anything the disappearance of man at sea.