UPDATE: Route du Rhum medivac

Helicopter to rescue Ultimate class skipper Bertrand Quentin this morning

This morning at 8:30 French time, the director of La Route du Rhum-La Banque Postale, Jean Maurel, in coordination with Doctor Jean-Yves Chauvre diagnosed a health problem with Bertrand Quentin, skipper of Eric Tabarly's re-fitted Cote d'Or 2 foiler trimaran, competing in the Ultimate class.

Quentin was asked to activate his distress beacon and the French SAR facility, the CROSS Gris Nez have since arranged a Medivac for Quentin, who's boat is currently some 50 miles off the north coast of Spain. A helicopter was expected to rendez-vous with Cote d'Or 2 at 10:40 French time.

Update (1230): According to Race Director Jean Maurel, the symptoms Bertrand Quentin were showing were extreme tiredness, giddiness and chest pain. Race Doctor Jean-Yves Chauve consulted the Centre de consultation maritime médicalisée in Toulouse before Quentin was advised to switch on his EPIRB.

Maurel also contacted the MRCC (CROSS) at Cap Gris informing them of the situation. The MRCC then passed the matter on to their Spanish counterparts in Madrid to initiate the rescue of Quentin. At 09:20 GMT a helicopter took off from Spain bound for Cote d'Or II's last recorded position, locating the foiler trimaran with the help of Quentin on VHF Ch16. Quentin was winched on board the helicopter by 10:40 GMT and has been taken to hospital in Burela in Spain. 

According to Jean Maurel they are awaiting to hear about Quentin's condition.