Updated: PRB skipper Jean Le Cam has arrived at Kevin Escoffier’s last known location and despite operating in fading light and windy and wavy conditions has managed to locate Escoffier in his life raft.
Le Cam is reported to have started his engine and is in the process of attmepting to retrieve Escoffier from the liferaft.
Meanwhile, German skipper Boris Herrmann on Seaexplorer – Yacht Club De Monaco and France’s Yannick Besthaven on Matre Coq IV have also been diverted to the rescue scene by Vendee Globe race managment.
Third placed Vendee Globe skipper Kevin Escoffier has triggered his emeregency distress beacon after reporting taking on water aboard his IMOCA 60 PRB.
Escoffier is positioned some 550 nautical miles to the south west of Cape Town, South Africa and was racing in a strong south westerely winds in the wake of cold weather front.
At 1346hrs (UTC), he managed to send a message to his shore team, explaining that he had an ingress of water into his boat.
The rescue team (MRCC Cape Town and CROSS Griz Nez) is preparing an action plan in collaboration with his PRB shore team, with Jacques Caraës and the Vendee Globe Race Direction team.
Escoffier’s nearest competitor fellow-Frenchman Jean Le Cam has changed course to sail to the last position given by the boat when the beacon was triggered (40°55 S 9°18 E).
Le Cam is expected to reach the area at around 1600hrs UTC.
More information to follow when it becomes available.
