Vendee Globe 2020

[Cwinsor 130]

So the ditch bag is not mandated to have a waterproof VHF?

Initiating a search grid does not suggest a functioning AIS-PLB

[smachielsen 0]

Looks like a SAR operation, not good....

[Mash 18]

Yeah, if the article from Le Télégramme is to be believed (and no reason why not) , Le Cam fixing his engine issues but losing visual contact is the reason why they started diverting more boats.

Fingers firmly crossed contact is re-established ASAP, even though pulling him onboard won't be a walk in the park...

M.

[Buck Turgidson 77]

one would assume the same technique for MOB applies. Get a line on and wait to see where the two settle then recover. 

[carlosgp5 59]

how long can someone survive on life raft on that kind of weather that he's experiencing?

 

[bucc5062 148]

I was waiting on the tracker update.  I see Bestaven is on site, but Cam's track is interesting in that he started steaming straight for @ 2 nm then made a right turn and went 3+ more and at 3 kts, thta would be just under an hour so maybe he did make the pick up and is heading away or making room for other boats?

 

I really hope it was a pick up and his track is an initial heading out back to CT.

[KlaasWiersma 12]

It is not without risk. Bernard Stamm almost drowned during his rescue as he was pulled underwater by the line that they lured him in with. If you go faster than 3 knots your face will be under water.

[cms 486]

Arkea Paprec has now been asked to divert as well.

[DVV 33]

3 minutes ago, k-f-u said:

Wondering why JLC seems to be  sailing away from the site? 

And Bestaven too

[Geff 182]

All these boats diverted isn't good to hear.  Man...I hope this is a rescue and not a recovery.  Keeping a good thought.

[Left Shift 2,643]

1 minute ago, bucc5062 said:

That raises the question...how?  There are good sailors here, how would you approach a life raft with the goal of getting the survivor on your boat?  Conditions at the moment are darkness, high winds and waves.

 

Do you wait till sunlight trying to keep the raft in sight or try and get a line on the raft and keep it  tied off and wait?  You got an IMOA foiling 60, where do you pick up the passenger?  Stern, back quarter?  I mean, you are a solo sailor and You'd need to get sails down...

 

I can see why they would want as many boats as possible now for you may need just more eyes and communication to effect a rescue.  Get it done indeed, but in trying conditions.

I've picked up several MOBs with IMS type hulls that were reasonably manageable with crew and with sails down.  We cam up to the person from leeward and put the bow up and stopping th e boat (1 2 knots) got a line to the person and got them dragged aft to the weather stern quarter and belly flopped into the cockpit.  No chance of putting them up amidship and good chance of running over them if they are to leeward.  But a full crew really helps.

In these boats, it would be really difficult.  I've practiced it a few times, but never in 4 meter waves.  Single handed, going slow, the boat is going to get pushed around and the bow will want to blow off to leeward fast, especially with those furled headsails up in the air.  

I've never tried to tie a liferaft off to a boat  That sounds like a disaster waiting to happen. The "victim" has to be able to swim to the rescue boat, I'd think, unless the boat can bump right along the lee side of the raft and the guy can make a leap.  

[Left Shift 2,643]

4 minutes ago, KlaasWiersma said:

It is not without risk. Bernard Stamm almost drowned during his rescue as he was pulled underwater by the line that they lured him in with. If you go faster than 3 knots your face will be under water.

True this.  Any faster and you can't hold on.  

[stief 3,375]

7 minutes ago, b3nharris said:

Good account of how Mike Golding rescued Alex from a life raft here. Gives some idea of how hairy it must be. And not really comparable - Alex's raft was tied to his boat and they only used it to transfer him between boats. He wasn't floating in the middle of the sea.

Dramatic account of how Mike Golding rescued Alex Thomson in the Southern Ocean (yachtingworld.com)

Thanks--a good read too. Worth snipping

Quote

We were blessed (more by luck than judgement) that, in the event, this was actually possible, because conditions after turning back were properly horrendous.

The next period remains perhaps the most extreme Open 60 sailing I have ever done, with Ecover crashing through freezing waves at nine knots on the reciprocal heading. She didn’t enjoy this at all and the Fleet 77 satcom packed up immediately. Next, the engine got up to its tricks again, and with the batteries now desperately needing a charge, I was once more buried in the engine bay, covered in diesel as the boat lurched and crashed back where we had just come from.

This time I had to fix the problem in a fully reliable manner, as the engine would be needed to manoeuvre to get Alex on board. I ditched all advice and rigged a jerrycan filled with diesel as a gravity feed direct to the HP pump on the engine, skipping the fuel pump and secondary filter. The engine ran – and it now ran reliably – and at last I could concentrate on preparing the boat and myself for the job of safely collecting Alex.

The wind moderated and headed me as I closed the distance, but the sea state did not. If anything the waves got steeper. As the storm centre approached it became harder and harder to make progress. We were still not quite going to make the rendezvous in daylight, but with accurate and regular information coming through from the race office, we moved ever closer. In the final few miles, Alex and I conferred over satphone and radio, to make last-minute navigational adjustments.

Finally, out of the blackest night imaginable, a flare shot into the air, and in the glow, cast down from the scudding low cloud I could just see Hugo Boss’s mast, and was able to pick up his masthead strobe light and finally his deck level navigation lights.

A transfer was absolutely too dangerous during the night, because if I lost sight of him, even for a moment, he would be gone. I dropped the sail and tried to match his drifting course and speed. Alex slept. I fretted and tinkered with my engine, tested the controls again, gathered my rescue kit, coiling down throw lines into buckets and in the end playing Solitaire on the PC.

I was nervous about the transfer. At some point, it was clear that Alex might well end up in the water and in 5°C temperatures there would be no time for a screw up.

Sunrise was at 0259 GMT, so I called and woke Alex. We both ate some food and generally got our acts together before he rigged in his survival suit and set himself up for me to come close. The plan was that he would inflate his liferaft on the leeward side, throw some supplies in and then jump in. He would then send a line across to me with his rocket line thrower, before casting himself adrift from Hugo Boss. A good basic plan which meant he would never be unattached.

I manoeuvred Ecover under engine – the controls were very stiff, being unused for three weeks, but otherwise all seemed to be OK. I experimented to see if I could drive the bow through the wind and waves – nope – she would not go. I gunned the engine and – bang! – the shear pin between the engine and drive leg failed. Now I had a reliable engine, but with no ability to drive the propeller.

I called Alex and just stopped him from jumping into the raft. Then I did possibly the quickest shear pin change in history. Then we began again.

The first part went OK, Alex was in the raft and in fact he let a painter out so that he was 50ft behind his boat. I positioned myself to leeward of both the raft and Hugo Boss: bringing the boats together would be a full-on disaster. He aimed the rocket thrower. I ducked, but nothing, the rocket line did not work. I grabbed my first pre-coiled-down line and ran to the rail and did possibly the worst line throw imaginable. I turned and went around again.

This time it looked better. I got a line to him, but the throttle/gear control now would not work, and I could not kill my speed or control the gearbox ahead or astern. We dropped the line and I pulled some sail out to make another pass. By now he had dropped his line to Hugo Boss. He could see the danger we would be in if the boats came together, and realised that I needed some room to manoeuvre around him, without getting any lines in the prop. Hugo Boss slowly headed away to the south looking low in the water – a deeply sad sight.

I unfurled some headsail and we had another go. This time I got a line on him and he secured the raft, but in the process, the bows blew down and Ecover began to sail too fast. A big wave started us on a surf. Alex clung on desperately, injuring his hand in the process. He yelled in pain and fright, as the raft was being towed at five or six knots with the rope twisted around his hand.

Looking for all the world like a doughnut skier, Alex moved his weight to the back of the raft, but it still flooded with water. We dropped the line and round I went again. Perhaps the most bizarre image, which will stay with me, was the sight of Alex alone in his raft, Hugo Boss now a quarter mile away, and in the steep seas the world’s largest albatross sitting in the water just feet from Alex. To me it began to look like a vulture moving in for the kill – this was just not happening.

This time I took off most of the sail and used the engine, which was now stuck permanently in ‘ahead’, thus having to leap below to adjust the throttle setting under the sink, and in the very last moment killing the engine using the kill switch in the navstation. But this time, the approach was near-perfection, the raft arrived on my bows, and bounced down the hull. I virtually passed Alex the line, which he made fast, I killed the engine and winched him back into the leeward side. We hugged as I welcomed him aboard and I apologised for my shabby pick-up.

 

[Thread Killer 24]

8 minutes ago, Cwinsor said:

So the ditch bag is not mandated to have a waterproof VHF?

Initiating a search grid does not suggest a functioning AIS-PLB

Holy crap I hope that is not the case. Even I have both a VHF with GPS and a satellite tracker on me when I go out.

[bucc5062 148]

2 minutes ago, Left Shift said:

I've picked up several MOBs with IMS type hulls that were reasonably manageable with crew and with sails down.  We cam up to the person from leeward and put the bow up and stopping th e boat (1 2 knots) got a line to the person and got them dragged aft to the weather stern quarter and belly flopped into the cockpit.  No chance of putting them up amidship and good chance of running over them if they are to leeward.  But a full crew really helps.

In these boats, it would be really difficult.  I've practiced it a few times, but never in 4 meter waves.  Single handed, going slow, the boat is going to get pushed around and the bow will want to blow off to leeward fast, especially with those furled headsails up in the air.  

I've never tried to tie a liferaft off to a boat  That sounds like a disaster waiting to happen. The "victim" has to be able to swim to the rescue boat, I'd think, unless the boat can bump right along the lee side of the raft and the guy can make a leap.  

I also think that since these boats have almost completed enclosed cockpits and controls, visibility has got to be hard and it's not like you can drop a main and just use a small jib. Even with an engine you are steering from basically inside the boat.

[Chasm 596]

19 minutes ago, Buck Turgidson said:

20:30 positions expect PRB. 

JLC's track looks like a search pattern.

Looks like JLC lost sight of the raft while working on the engine.
Finding it at night is obviously a problem. Even if they have some form of comms. (Does the raft pack something? Did he grab something from the boat?)
Getting more boats in the area helps also to get some form of sleep if required. Now that Yannik is on site JLC might do exactly that. Since JLC has the only conventional boat on site he might still be the one to pull Kevin out. (No foils to complicate the rescue even further.)

The cargo vessel is roughly 180nm away. IIRC roughly the same speed as Benjamin so ~15kts. They could get there by ~1200UTC which would be in a relative lull.

[troll99 437]

wouldn't better to wait until morning? Waiting in a raft the whole night is a terrible feeling. 

 

Full moon today in Cape Town.

[Fiji Bitter 1,432]

Just now, Buck Turgidson said:

JLC's track looks like a search pattern. 

Nah, just staying somewhat in sight, or possibly and hopefully pick-up attempts.

Myself am preparing for an important meeting, but it's hard to stay focussed, as Varan said earlier.

 

[Cwinsor 130]

2 minutes ago, Left Shift said:

I've picked up several MOBs with IMS type hulls that were reasonably manageable with crew and with sails down.  We cam up to the person from leeward and put the bow up and stopping th e boat (1 2 knots) got a line to the person and got them dragged aft to the weather stern quarter and belly flopped into the cockpit.  No chance of putting them up amidship and good chance of running over them if they are to leeward. 

sharing  with my crew, thanks. Most drills are not done in these conditions.

[Buck Turgidson 77]

Could it be that JLC has got him and went downing then lying a hull now. Why else would he be beam on to the wind? 

[Varan 1,639]

Satellite AIS tracking is cool. Too bad the technology cannot also tune into VHF chatter.

[ARumRunner 11]

Lacking official updates from VG those on station tracks from the diverted competitors are going to be key in determining what the on-water situation is. This is harrowing and I know I am not alone in hopes of a speedy rescue for Kevin.

[GBR562 5]

For what its worth, at current speed HB will get to PRB's location in 23 hrs

[Roleur 281]

15 minutes ago, DVV said:

And Bestaven too

This makes sense if the liferaft has drifted downwind from where the boat sank.  

[oioi 64]

I don't understand JLC track. 

 

At first it looks like passes,  confirming visual,  reaching across,  staying in touch, getting ready for pick up. 

Then maybe loses site ? And runs dead down wind from last sighting.

 

Why then turn north west and reach away?

 

Data from hermanns boat is twa of 240, 25knots, gusting 30, so inline with forecast. 

[Buck Turgidson 77]

3 minutes ago, Fiji Bitter said:

Nah, just staying somewhat in sight, or possibly and hopefully pick-up attempts.

Myself am preparing for an important meeting, but it's hard to stay focussed, as Varan said earlier.

 

looks like a creeping line to me. 

[Rafael 246]

22 minutes ago, jack_sparrow said:

Has to be a SOLAS LSA code liferaft.

Gracias jack... F U C K... SAR operation... no news eq bad news, not a good night, hope the situation is solved ASAP

[C. Spackler 48]

One would think there's a DSC equipped handheld VHF in the ditch bag. Disturbing to now see what looks like search patterns. 

[Roleur 281]

1 minute ago, C. Spackler said:

One would think there's a DSC equipped handheld VHF in the ditch bag. Disturbing to now see what looks like search patterns. 

Is it a search pattern, or just the inability to hold the boat on station?

[Thread Killer 24]

2 minutes ago, C. Spackler said:

One would think there's a DSC equipped handheld VHF in the ditch bag. Disturbing to now see what looks like search patterns. 

Yeah, I think what we are seeing is not a search pattern - just remaining in the vicinity and forming a plan of action.

[grandsoleil 2]

Just now, Roleur said:

Is it a search pattern, or just the inability to hold the boat on station?

An attempt to stay in the vincinity?

[Zonker 2,362]

Our 40' catamaran would do an easy 4 knots with bare poles in 25+ knots of wind. I imagine an IMOCA 60 would be similar.

[troll99 437]

ECMF weather

[Varan 1,639]

What is the accuracy of satellite AIS?

Ms. Google says "Using various data sources, we find the typical AIS display error for a global system ranges from 120 to 170 nautical miles. TimeCaster™ accuracy places a vessel within 10 nautical miles of the true position, 90% of the time."

I suspect it is way better than 10nm, but not enough to give meaning to little zigzags in a track. That would be like palm reading.

[Geff 182]

[KlaasWiersma 12]

Could very well be that they are on top of the situation, waiting for daylight and easier conditions.

[Zonker 2,362]

That seems totally wrong. The AIS satellite is listening to a ship's transmission of its GPS position.

Also: future sponsorship opportunity - get your sponsor logo on the LIFERAFT. There will be likely pictures you hope, and they get in all the newspapers/web sites "Dramatic rescue at Sea!"

[jack_sparrow 7,448]

32 minutes ago, bucc5062 said:

That raises the question...how?  There are good sailors here, how would you approach a life raft with the goal of getting the survivor on your boat?  Conditions at the moment are darkness, high winds and waves.

Windage on raft with its lid even with its water ballast dictates it being to windward of pickup vessel.

It's on board drogue and and streaming warps (if loaded) and rescue vessel with its prop and appendages don't mix. 

After that seamanship not the rule book steps in. 

The raft lid a pain in the arse but you can't cutaway if pickup goes to shit. 

You are going to have to be very lucky and or very good to execute a direct raft to vessel transfer without a swim in shit conditions. 

[tama_manu 32]

32 minutes ago, k-f-u said:

Wondering why JLC seems to be  sailing away from the site? 

Now that Bestaven has arrived, JLC would want to give him room to pick up Escoffier.  Deck spreader damage has caused problems before.

[SaltyPuppy 14]

Boris (Herrmann) boatspeed has come down, so he might have arrived in the area...but the dataflow on his site seems to be cut of...

https://exocet.cloud/grafana/d/bsbc_5MGz/malizia-public-dashboard?orgId=15&from=now-3h&to=now

 

edit: nevermind, data just seems to be delayed a little

Edited November 30, 2020 by SaltyPuppy

[Geff 182]

2 minutes ago, KlaasWiersma said:

Could very well be that they are on top of the situation, waiting for daylight and easier conditions.

Let's hope that's the case.

[atwinda 83]

1 minute ago, Zonker said:

Also: future sponsorship opportunity - get your sponsor logo on the LIFERAFT. There will be likely pictures you hope, and they get in all the newspapers/web sites "Dramatic rescue at Sea!"

How about "Sailor found deceased inside life raft after rescue attempt"- would you still want your logos on the raft then?

[JoeBleaux 45]

43 minutes ago, Buck Turgidson said:

20:30 positions expect PRB. 

JLC's track looks like a search pattern. 

Or maybe multiple attempts to pick him up. This sucks. 

[Janarto 0]

Awful situation, it clearly seems that they lost the raft or maybe Kevin wasn't in the raft anymore ...

Heartbreaking as well for Le Cam, can't imagine you find the raft but you don't manage to save the guy ...

[SCARECROW 539]

5 hours ago, arr4ws said:

Retiring from the race is something , but losing a boat is on another level.

 

I did that with a car once.  Thought it had been stolen, turned out we'd parked it on another level.

[Buck Turgidson 77]

 

Latest from vessel finder. Seb's position is 15 minutes old the others 30-45 . 

 

[DVV 33]

Besteven seems to have taken a similar direction to JLC one

Malizia on the site

[TPG 159]

I can't imagine that they don't have both an AIS PLB and normal PLB with them, which means just follow the stupid arrow on the plotter while the plotter screams at you about a collision being imminent.

Which means that due to the sea state they're just holding station?

[Coconuts.is 45]

2 minutes ago, Janarto said:

Awful situation, it clearly seems that they lost the raft or maybe Kevin wasn't in the raft anymore ...

Heartbreaking as well for Le Cam, can't imagine you find the raft but you don't manage to save the guy ...

Nothing is clear.  So we can't jump to conclusions.

 

[jack_sparrow 7,448]

15 minutes ago, Zonker said:

Also: future sponsorship opportunity - get your sponsor logo on the LIFERAFT. There will be likely pictures you hope, and they get in all the newspapers/web sites "Dramatic rescue at Sea!"

Rescue ROI 101.

Survival Suit fully stickered up.

Raft transfer done clutching a 'Mars Bar,' packet of 'Lays Crisps' and a bottle of 'Evian' 

Rescuer 'Clack-Clack-Clack' for full 180 vision. 

My bet AT has a bespoke Survival Suit that looks like a HB Dinner Suit complete with bow tie and pocket hankerchief.

Keven is going to have to make do clutching a PRB house brick. 

[DVV 33]

Malizia also away from (last known position of) PRB

 

[jack_sparrow 7,448]

16 minutes ago, Janarto said:

Awful situation, it clearly seems that they lost the raft or maybe Kevin wasn't in the raft anymore ...

Heartbreaking as well for Le Cam, can't imagine you find the raft but you don't manage to save the guy ...

"Clearly seems"

Turn down your speculation volume knob. 

PS. Stief thought about adding comma b4 knob. 

[Varan 1,639]

My finger is getting sore from clicking refresh on the Vendee site for any kind of news. Maybe they already closed shop for the day.

[AnotherSailor 252]

1 minute ago, Varan said:

My finger is getting sore from clicking refresh on the Vendee site for any kind of news. Maybe they already closed shop for the day.

It is not a 9-5 job I am sure...

[troll99 437]

1 minute ago, Varan said:

My finger is getting sore from clicking refresh on the Vendee site for any kind of news. Maybe they already closed shop for the day.

am sure they actively working.. i would check prb twitter.

[james3232 37]

16 minutes ago, Janarto said:

Awful situation, it clearly seems that they lost the raft or maybe Kevin wasn't in the raft anymore ...

Heartbreaking as well for Le Cam, can't imagine you find the raft but you don't manage to save the guy ...

This is absolutely braindead. Stop this.

[Miffy 2,118]

We’re unlikely to get any updates in the night so there’s really no sense waiting for it - go drink some water, pickup some takeout, watch a movie. It’ll be a long while. 

[terrafirma 965]

Sorry guys I'm late on the scene but the VG site reported quote

"Jean le Cam has arrived in the area and has seen Kevin in his life raft. He is under engine preparing to recover Escoffier. More info to come."

So if Le Cam has seen him but was not able to get him due to engine issues is that we we're at the moment?

[stief 3,375]

Marcus Hutchinson talking to Conrad Humphreys about how a team manager handles emergency calls. He's had a few.

 

[mad 3,693]

29 minutes ago, grandsoleil said:

An attempt to stay in the vincinity?

It can’t be easy to manoeuvre, stay on station looking at or for a life raft single handed in the best of conditions. 

[jack_sparrow 7,448]

Just now, terrafirma said:

Sorry guys I'm late on the scene but the VG site reported quote

Late....mate you are still enthralled watching last year's S2H wondering who will win 

[Varan 1,639]

Just wish they would be a little more forthcoming with news, but keeping us informed isn't their main concern right know, so we wait.

[solosailor 351]

Quote

Also: future sponsorship opportunity - get your sponsor logo on the LIFERAFT. There will be likely pictures you hope, and they get in all the newspapers/web sites "Dramatic rescue at Sea!"

When you pull your foot from your mouth you deserve to get knocked in the teeth you asshole.

[crashtack 126]

25 minutes ago, Zonker said:

That seems totally wrong. The AIS satellite is listening to a ship's transmission of its GPS position.

Also: future sponsorship opportunity - get your sponsor logo on the LIFERAFT. There will be likely pictures you hope, and they get in all the newspapers/web sites "Dramatic rescue at Sea!"

Or just live-stream your rescue like AT in 2006

[Mash 18]

Until it is confirmed Kevin is safe on some boat, any sort of specific update is most likely limited to officials, team &  family, as it should be.

M.

[terrafirma 965]

1 minute ago, jack_sparrow said:

Late....mate you are still enthralled watching last year's S2H wondering who will win 

Yeah late have read the last 2 pages of the thread and it sucks. I'm away and didn't have access for 2 days. Just trying to get my head around the reported sighting of Kevin in his raft and now the unknown

[ant1 284]

Speculating won't help, last thing we really know is jlc sighted kevin in the liferaft, "made contact", and that the conditions are really rough and sketchy out there right now, and it's dark. Apart from that there are now three excellent sailors on zone, and we can trust them to do absolutely everything they can.

Many many thoughts...

 

[jack_sparrow 7,448]

52 minutes ago, stief said:

This time I had to fix the problem in a fully reliable manner, as the engine would be needed to manoeuvre to get Alex on board. I ditched all advice and rigged a jerrycan filled with diesel as a gravity feed direct to the HP pump on the engine, skipping the fuel pump and secondary filter. The engine ran – and it now ran reliably – and at last I could concentrate on preparing the boat and myself for the job of safely collecting Alex.

That has to be one of the smartest things I have read, though begs the question about his day tank set up if it had been a problem. 

[edelweis 8]

36 minutes ago, Thread Killer said:

Yeah, I think what we are seeing is not a search pattern - just remaining in the vicinity and forming a plan of action.

JLCs Tacks were 2nm long. That's not staying in vicinity.

[TheDragon 424]

Just imagine what it is like tacking one of these boats repeatedly like that, Jean must be exhausted already.

[weightless 481]

Link to marine traffic:

https://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/home/centerx:8.9/centery:-40.9/zoom:9

 

[Zonker 2,362]

4 minutes ago, solosailor said:

When you pull your foot from your mouth you deserve to get knocked in the teeth you asshole.

Sorry to have set you off. I sincerely do hope Kevin is rescued and didn't think otherwise when I wrote that.

[CordRipper 11]

https://www.vendeeglobe.org/en/news/20687/four-vendee-globe-skippers-are-in-the-zone-to-help-in-rescue-of-kevin-escoffier

Article

2200hrs UTC NEWS UPDATE 
Race Direction of the Vendée Globe requested the assistance of three competing skippers, Germany’s Boris Herrmann (Seaexplorer-Yacht Club de Monaco), Yannick Bestaven (Maître CoQ IV) and Sébastien Simon (ARKEA PAPREC) to help Jean Le Cam (Yes We Cam!) in the mission to retrieve solo skipper Kevin Escoffier from his life raft after the 40 year old from Saint Malo had to abandon his IMOCA 60 PRB this Monday afternoon after activating his distress beacon.

Escoffier was racing in third place on the 22nd day of the solo non stop around the world race, at some 840 nautical miles SW of Cape Town, when his PRB got into difficulties and he was forced to take to his liferaft.

He alerted his technical team at 1346hrs UTC this afternoon, telling them he had significant amounts of water coming into the boat and immediately triggered his yacht's distress beacon. PRB was positioned at 40deg55S 9deg16E at the time the distress beacon was activated.

Race Direction of the Vendée Globe alerted MRCC Cape Town and CROSS Griz Nez who have been collaborating in a rescue operation. The skipper closest to Escoffier’s position, Jean Le Cam, who is competing on his fifth Vendée Globe, immediately responded to the request to divert to Escoffier’s position.

Guided by Race Direction Le Cam arrived on zone around 1615hrs UTC and quickly established visual and voice contact with Escoffier who was in his liferaft but he was unable to retrieve him in the big, 5m, seas and 20-25 knot winds.  

As he was manoeuvring to prepare to get closer to the liferaft Le Cam lost sight of the liferaft and could not establish radio contact nor to pick up the signal from the AIS the range of which was reduced by the heavy seas.

He lost sight of Escoffier in the dying light but has continued to try and locate him, Le Cam is communicating regularly with Race Direction and the rescue authorities. The three other skippers are now in, or are approaching the search area.  The positioning of Kevin Escoffier's personal beacon (AIS MOB Man Over Board) emits HF radiowaves and will only be detected in the local zone.

The four skippers will follow a protocol established by Race Direction in coordination with Jean Le Cam. They will approach with three reefs in the mainsail and the engine idling. A grid search area for the zone has been established and will be carried out by the four IMOCAs who are set to provide assistance.

The PRB shore crew said that besides his AIS Mob, Kevin Escoffier also means to signal his presence in the liferaft. Daybreak tomorrow morning is around 0340hrs UTC in this zone and the search will be ongoing.

This press release has been drawn up jointly with the Vendée Globe and Team PRB.

[jbc 293]

2 minutes ago, edelweis said:

JLCs Tacks were 2nm long. That's not staying in vicinity.

I dunno. Keeping a 60-foot high-performance monohull on station singlehanded in rough conditions, I'd think operator fatigue is a significant factor. Tacking every 3 minutes might keep you in close range for a while, but if you drop from exhaustion you're not going to do much good.

[terrafirma 965]

2 minutes ago, CordRipper said:

https://www.vendeeglobe.org/en/news/20687/four-vendee-globe-skippers-are-in-the-zone-to-help-in-rescue-of-kevin-escoffier

That explains what we thought. Although the converted French is hard to gauge if his signal is still transmitting?

[TheDragon 424]

2200hrs UTC NEWS UPDATE 
Race Direction of the Vendée Globe requested the assistance of three competing skippers, Germany’s Boris Herrmann (Seaexplorer-Yacht Club de Monaco), Yannick Bestaven (Maître CoQ IV) and Sébastien Simon (ARKEA PAPREC) to help Jean Le Cam (Yes We Cam!) in the mission to retrieve solo skipper Kevin Escoffier from his life raft after the 40 year old from Saint Malo had to abandon his IMOCA 60 PRB this Monday afternoon after activating his distress beacon.

Escoffier was racing in third place on the 22nd day of the solo non stop around the world race, at some 840 nautical miles SW of Cape Town, when his PRB got into difficulties and he was forced to take to his liferaft.

He alerted his technical team at 1346hrs UTC this afternoon, telling them he had significant amounts of water coming into the boat and immediately triggered his yacht's distress beacon. PRB was positioned at 40deg55S 9deg16E at the time the distress beacon was activated.

Race Direction of the Vendée Globe alerted MRCC Cape Town and CROSS Griz Nez who have been collaborating in a rescue operation. The skipper closest to Escoffier’s position, Jean Le Cam, who is competing on his fifth Vendée Globe, immediately responded to the request to divert to Escoffier’s position.

Guided by Race Direction Le Cam arrived on zone around 1615hrs UTC and quickly established visual and voice contact with Escoffier who was in his liferaft but he was unable to retrieve him in the big, 5m, seas and 20-25 knot winds.  

As he was manoeuvring to prepare to get closer to the liferaft Le Cam lost sight of the liferaft and could not establish radio contact nor to pick up the signal from the AIS the range of which was reduced by the heavy seas.

He lost sight of Escoffier in the dying light but has continued to try and locate him, Le Cam is communicating regularly with Race Direction and the rescue authorities. The three other skippers are now in, or are approaching the search area.  The positioning of Kevin Escoffier's personal beacon (AIS MOB Man Over Board) emits HF radiowaves and will only be detected in the local zone.

The four skippers will follow a protocol established by Race Direction in coordination with Jean Le Cam. They will approach with three reefs in the mainsail and the engine idling. A grid search area for the zone has been established and will be carried out by the four IMOCAs who are set to provide assistance.

The PRB shore crew said that besides his AIS Mob, Kevin Escoffier also means to signal his presence in the liferaft. Daybreak tomorrow morning is around 0340hrs UTC in this zone and the search will be ongoing.

This press release has been drawn up jointly with the Vendée Globe and Team PRB.

 

[DVV 33]

2 minutes ago, CordRipper said:

https://www.vendeeglobe.org/en/news/20687/four-vendee-globe-skippers-are-in-the-zone-to-help-in-rescue-of-kevin-escoffier

if my understanding is correct, they are searching for him after JLC lost sight when sorting out motor issue

this looks scaring

[terrafirma 965]

This is the converted French that worries me "The PRB shore crew said that besides his AIS Mob, Kevin Escoffier also means to signal his presence in the liferaft"

[Bebmoumoute 738]

They are still searching indeed. AIS range is limited because of the large waves, so extremally difficult to find him at night.

 

[Chasm 596]

19 minutes ago, terrafirma said:

So if Le Cam has seen him but was not able to get him due to engine issues is that we we're at the moment?

Reports are that JLC lost sight of the raft when he had to go under deck / work on the engine.
Hoping that they have some vhf/plb/epirb comms with Kevin and are "just" waiting for daylight. Or perhaps the OSCAR cameras are useful to detect the raft flashlight. (And if not develop that ASAP!!!)

The other major hope is of course that Kevin had enough time to get into the survival gear and leave the boat in a somewhat orderly fashion. From the rough timeline that seems likely.

 

12 minutes ago, Mash said:

Until it is confirmed Kevin is safe on some boat, any sort of specific update is most likely limited to officials, team &  family, as it should be.

M.

True. And even then it will be a while before we get informed.

[Raz'r 3,233]

8 minutes ago, TheDragon said:

Just imagine what it is like tacking one of these boats repeatedly like that, Jean must be exhausted already.

Would be great to think that JLC handed off watch duty and is just catching some sleep.

[jack_sparrow 7,448]

1 minute ago, terrafirma said:

Yeah late have read the last 2 pages of the thread and it sucks. I'm away and didn't have access for 2 days. Just trying to get my head around the reported sighting of Kevin in his raft and now the unknown

Mate thanks for that Rorschach reply... 

...now I can't 'unsee it' ... you're Terra Two Dicks from now on. 

[Bebmoumoute 738]

1 minute ago, terrafirma said:

This is the converted French that worries me "The PRB shore crew said that besides his AIS Mob, Kevin Escoffier also means to signal his presence in the liferaft"

Personally I would translate from French in "Kevin has other means to signal his presence in addition to the personal AIS"

Hopefully he has a handheld VHF and will be able to spot the big masts and assist the others in the search in the daylight.

[weightless 481]

Looks like they're converging:

[rogerfal 394]

HAS no doubt plus good old fashioned flares.

[troll99 437]

5 minutes ago, Bebmoumoute said:

Personally I would translate from French in "Kevin has other means to signal his presence in addition to the personal AIS"

Hopefully he has a handheld VHF and will be able to spot the big masts and assist the others in the search in the daylight.

I still hope they can use full moonlight to detect a raft.

[jack_sparrow 7,448]

18 minutes ago, edelweis said:

JLCs Tacks were 2nm long. That's not staying in vicinity.

In a twitchy 60 footer single handed in a seaway with breeze, trying to preserve it and yourself, you don't turn on a dime every 3 minutes.

You are not much use with boat fucked and you're fucked.

[PHIRKIN 70]

4 minutes ago, Bebmoumoute said:

Personally I would translate from French in "Kevin has other means to signal his presence in addition to the personal AIS"

Hopefully he has a handheld VHF and will be able to spot the big masts and assist the others in the search in the daylight.

Could this not mean anything from flares on up ?

[Mash 18]

13 minutes ago, TheDragon said:

2200hrs UTC NEWS UPDATE 
Race Direction of the Vendée Globe requested the assistance of three competing skippers, Germany’s Boris Herrmann (Seaexplorer-Yacht Club de Monaco), Yannick Bestaven (Maître CoQ IV) and Sébastien Simon (ARKEA PAPREC) to help Jean Le Cam (Yes We Cam!) in the mission to retrieve solo skipper Kevin Escoffier from his life raft after the 40 year old from Saint Malo had to abandon his IMOCA 60 PRB this Monday afternoon after activating his distress beacon.

For what it's worth, checked the french version of the press release for any potential additional information, but there is no significant one, even though some of the paragraphs are slightly different. It's mentioned that Kevin was initially found by JLC via his AIS PLB and is is "most likely" wearing a TPS survival suit, but basically everything else is in the english version.

 

M

[mad 3,693]

12 minutes ago, jbc said:

I dunno. Keeping a 60-foot high-performance monohull on station singlehanded in rough conditions, I'd think operator fatigue is a significant factor. Tacking every 3 minutes might keep you in close range for a while, but if you drop from exhaustion you're not going to do much good.

Exactly!! Some of the comments are getting mighty tiresome already.