Three capsizes in Transat Jacques Vabre

Disaster as 40 knot winds and 7m waves create havoc in trimaran fleet

At 4h15 French time this Tuesday, the CROSS rescue services in France and the MRCC in Falmouth were informed that the trimarans Sodebo and Orange Project had set off their EPIRB distress beacons. Three hours later it was the turn of Foncia.

Thomas Coville and Jacques Vincent (Sodebo) contacted the Transat Jacques Vabre
Race HQ to warn them that their trimaran's port float has broken away resulting in her dismasting. At the time of the incident the boat was situated 150 miles west of Brest in 35 to 45 knots and 7m high waves. Sodebo's two crew are safe and sound but can no longer control the boat. A fishing boat should be on zone around 9h30 to assist.

Just minutes after the initial incident Stève and Yvan Ravussin reported that one of Orange Project's beams had split apart causing the trimaran to capsize. The two Swiss sailors are unharmed, their boat 220 miles from Brest. Like the Sodebo crew, they are in contact with the rescue services (Falmouth coastguard) and Race HQ.

At 07h15, Foncia's Team Manager Alain Gautier contacted Race HQ to inform the Race Director of their trimaran's capsize while holding second position behind Groupama 2. The incident occurred whilst the cold front was at its most powerful point. At the time Foncia was heading west at an average speed of around just 10 knots in 35 to 45 knots of SW'ly in anticipation of the NW'ly wind shift.

Skipper Armel Le Cléac’h contacted the race doctor Jean-Yves Chauve as his co-skipper, Damian Foxall has injured his shoulder. It is believed the Irishman has broken his clavicle. The rescue operation set up by the Coastguard to recover the crew from Orange Project may be diverted to Foncia. A helicopter supplied by the helicopter carrier Jeanne d’Arc is operational to help in the coming hours.

We understand that a Sea King helicopter from RAF Chivenor, in north Devon, and a Nimrod search and rescue aircraft from RAF Kinloss in Scotland have been scrambled to assist in the rescue operation. They have been joined by two French rescue helicopters, a French warship and several merchant vessels.

The yachts got into trouble when controllers at the RAF Rescue Centre at Kinloss detected a distress beacon from the Orange Project, one of 34 yachts taking part in the Transat Jacques Vabre race from France to Brazil.