Stamm loses keel

MRCC Halifax alerted as VMI diverts

At 0645 UTC this morning a distress signal was heard from the EPIRB on board Bernard Stamm's Cheminées Poujoulat/Armor Lux. It transpired the Open 60 had capsized prior to the loss of her keel bulb.

Prior to the incident at 0345 this morning, Stamm had announced his concern over the keel. "Over 20 knots, the boat is shaking terrible I am very anxious and I fear that the mast will fall down. For me the race is finished, I have to slow down and I head towards the nearest land." At the time the wind was blowing at 45 knots.

Cheminées Poujoulat/Armor Lux is currently at 49deg 55.96' N 44deg 05.68' W some 411 miles from Cape Race, the southeasternmost tip of Newfoundland.

Following the EPIRB alert, the Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre in Halifax is co-ordinating Stamm's rescue. However the race organisers have asked Sebastien Josse on VMI to divert. At the 0700GMT position report Josse was 184 miles away. His is the most northerly boat of the Open 60 front runners and the only boat in a position to make it to Stamm in the conditions.

UPDATE: We have since learned that VMI has been released from her rescue duties by the MRCC in Halifax