Arkema -Aquitaine capsizes

Newest Multi50 overturns off Portugese coast in the Transat Jacques Vabre

At 2158 UTC the race committee of the Transat Jacques Vabre received a call from Yann Elies, co-skipper of FenêtréA Cardinal to inform them that Lalou Roucayrol and Mayeul Riffet's Multi 50 trimaran Arkema -Region Aquitaine, half a mile away from them, had capsized.

At 2204hrs UTC Mayeul Riffet also contacted the Race Director by Iridium phone to inform them that all was well aboard the capsized trimaran. The crew is safe. The boat is 210 miles to the west of Cascais, Portugal.

Equipped with survival suits, the crew are dry inside their trimaran and are working on how organise their rescue. Just now the sailors do not plan to leave the boat. They have activated their ARGOS beacon so their position and trajectory can be accurately tracked. Weather conditions in the area make organising a tow a consideration.

Yann Eliès co-skipper FenêtréA Cardinal reported: “We were racing downwind with Arkema in 17 knots of wind. It had died a bit, but came back stronger and so we had to be careful. I was inside and Erwan (Le Roux) was at the helm and then one moment he could not see their lights.

"Mayeuel (Riffet) called on the VHF to say that they had capsized so we should be careful, we were less than half a mile away.

"He said that Lalou was fine because he was the one who had been at the helm, and inside Mayeul was well. I asked him if he wanted us to stop, he replied 'no'.

"I called Sylvie (Viant, race director) and told her what had happened. I think there must have been a technical problem.”