Vendee Globe - Rescuers in the zone

by Vendee Globe on 7 Dec 2016 The Marion Dufresne, the research and supply vessel which serves the remote French islands in the South Indian Ocean, has arrived close to the stricken French skipper Kito De Pavant. The evacuation of the skipper de Pavant is expected to start around daybreak once there is sufficient light.

Sébastien Josse's team reported today that their skipper is in better shape after fighting clear of the worst of the low pressure system. 'Sébastien is doing fine despite the extreme conditions he's been experiencing since yesterday afternoon. Last night, he managed to put in two gybes, which was very tricky given the strength of the wind and the sea state,' the Gitana team report today.

Three skippers passed the longitude of the Cape of Good Hope today. Rich Wilson crossed this morning at 0420hrs UTC. Enda O'Coineen passed some five hours and 36 minutes later at 0956hrs UTC and Alan Roura, the Swiss skipper, 47 minutes later at 1043hrs UTC.

And Spanish skipper Didac Costa has now closed to within three miles of Sébastien Destremau at the tail end of the fleet.