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Boris Herrmann on arrival in France
Photo: Sebastien Salom-Gomis / picture alliance / dpa / AFP
Circumnavigator Boris Herrmann has contradicted the portrayal of the captain of the Spanish fishing trawler with whom he collided at the Vendée Globe.
Captain Josu Zaldumbide had told the Süddeutsche Zeitung that he and his crew had not seen Herrmann's yacht coming.
"Our AIS (Automatic Identification System) did not display the sailing boat either, at any time," he said, emphasizing that the AIS, through which ships exchange navigation and ship data, was switched on.
Herrmann was surprised by this and contradicted again on Friday in the ARD and ZDF “Morgenmagazin”: “It was definitely not.
We can see that in the data log. «Fishermen would often switch off the AIS.
“Don't blame anyone.
That's probably perfectly normal.
They're in competition with each other and you don't always want to reveal your position, ”said the man from Hamburg.
"That was really bad luck."
The 39-year-old had previously made a similar statement in the SPIEGEL interview.
However, he did not reproach the fishermen, he said: “The collision is still an absolute mystery to me.
I can not explain this.
So only so much: I always pay close attention to my instruments, the radar device with its alarm zones was properly set. "
On the day of the collision, Herrmann had several encounters with other ships, and the alarm always went off.
"Unfortunately not in this case," he told SPIEGEL.
The fisherman also told the Süddeutsche Zeitung that there was no contact with Herrmann afterwards.
They were worried about him.
Herrmann told SPIEGEL that his team promptly contacted the Spanish fishing cutter and made contact.
The incident is also viewed critically at the environmental organization WWF.
"This system is often exhibited in order to cover up fishing activities," says Philipp Kanstinger, fishing expert at WWF Germany.
“This way you can no longer understand the activities at sea.
This not only increases the risk of accidents at sea, but also means that applicable laws at sea are circumvented and the gates are opened to overfishing and illegal fishing practices. "
The momentous collision of Herrmann's yacht "Seaexplorer - Yacht Club de Monaco" with the ship happened about 90 nautical miles from the destination of the Vendée Globe in Les Sables-d'Olonne on Wednesday evening.
Nobody was injured in the process.
Herrmann's boat was badly damaged, however.
He could only continue sailing at reduced speed.
As a result, he missed the podium he had hoped for and was fifth on Thursday after more than 80 days and 28,000 nautical miles.
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jan / dpa