Volvo Ocean Race- Team Vestas Wind abandoned + Video from Alvimedica

by Richard Gladwell/Sail-World.com/nz on 30 Nov 2014 The crew of the Volvo Ocean Race have abandoned their yacht and are in life rafts tethered to the reef awaiting for daylight and to be taken off by the crew of a nearby coastguard station at first light.

Volvo Ocean Race/Team Vestas Wind update (0300 UTC): In the statement from Volvo Ocean Race Control at Race Control it was confirmed that the Team Vestas Wind crew has now been rescued and will stay on the Íle du Sud, where there is a house and some facilities. All the crew is safe and nobody is injured.

Team Vestas Wind is making plans with Volvo Ocean Race on how to transport the crew off the island as well as how to salvage the boat.

Team Alvimedica has now been released and will continue racing towards Abu Dhabi.

Knut Frostad, CEO of the Volvo Ocean Race, said: “I’m extremely relieved that every one of the nine crew members now are safe and that nobody is injured. That has always been our first priority since we first learned about the grounding.

“At the same time, I’m deeply saddened that this happened to Team Vestas Wind and Chris Nicholson and his team. It’s devastating for the team, for the race and for everyone involved. I really feel for Chris and the team right now and we will continue to support them all the way going forward.”

In a report issued by Volvo Ocean Race Control at 0045hrs UTC on November 30, the crew reported to Race Management that all nine crew have safely abandoned the boat. The life rafts are anchored to a dry section of the reef, where the crew awaits daylight.

The crew has reported that they have now been rescued and will stay at facilities on Íle du Sud. The crew reported that all crew are safe and nobody is injured.

Speaking from Team Alvimedica, skipper Charlie Enright says they could see little from their perspective, as there was a reef between them and Team Vestas Wind. He said that he thought Team Vestas Wind was hard against the reef and getting worse with every wave striking the boat.

Team Alvimedica resumed sailing early Sunday morning (UTC) after standing by until the rescue of Team Vestas Wind who ran aground on a reef off Mauritius Saturday afternoon and eventually had to abandon ship.

Team Alvimedica who had been standing by and remained in visual and radio contact with Team Vestas Wind until the rescue was safely completed, was not required to assist in the actual evacuation of the crew to shore.

Navigator Will Oxley sent this report from Team Alvimedica: “All is well on board, though it is fair to say we are all shattered and quite emotional about what happened.

“We are really pleased we were able to be of assistance and that the crew of Vestas Wind are all well and we look forward to a beer with them as soon as possible,” Oxley said.

Earlier at 1510UTC on November 29, Team Vestas Wind informed Volvo Ocean Race Race Control that the their Volvo Ocean 65 was grounded on the Cargados Carajos Shoals, Mauritius, in the Indian Ocean. Fortunately, no one has been injured.

She has broken off both rudders and suffered some ingress of water into the stern compartment as a result.

It is not known at this stage of the boat can be salvaged. The RIB from the Coastguard station is a twin outboard vessel should be able to exert some towing capability, depending on how far the Volvo 65 is lodged on the reef and whether she will float if the are able to tow her off.

One of the nine crew aboard is Rob Salthouse, from one of New Zealand's boat-building dynasties. He will likely to be the one to make an on the spot assessment as to whether immediate salvage is possible or more specialised equipment is required. The VO65 was designed specifically to withstand substantial damage, however this type of incident was probably not in the design specification.