Vendee- Navy reach injured Yann Elies Sat morning

by Vendee media on 20 Dec 2008
Evacuation of injured Generali skipper Yann Eliès should commence at around 10:00hrs GMT. Royal Australian Navy's Frigate HMAS Arunta is expected to be on station ready to start the evacuation of injured Vendée Globe skipper Yann Eliès at around 10:00hrs GMT this morning (Saturday).

Favourable conditions on their passage and the push to catch more daylight hours means that the Royal Australian Navy's Frigate HMAS Arunta is expected to be on station ready to start the evacuation of injured Vendée Globe skipper Yann Eliès (Generali) at around 10:00hrs GMT this morning (Saturday).

The plan, which has been put in place in cooperation with the Generali Sailing Team managers who know the layout and handling of the Open 60, with Vendée Globe race direction, with the MRCC and Royal Australian Navy, is to launch a large RIB and to go on board Generali with a stretcher and spinal splint.

It has been recommended that the keel is canted to reduce the freeboard to make to easier to lower Yann into the RIB.

Once on board the Frigate he will be assessed by the civilian doctor on board. There are full facilites should it be decided that an immediate surgical procedure is required.

Eliès will be taken to Perth military hospital. Generali, the Open 60, will be left by the crew and the Vendée Globe race directors will continue to monitor her position. The mainsail with 3 reefs will be left up but they will furl the staysail.

Doors will be shut and the helm tied off to allow the boat to drift.

Elies condition has remained stable. He has slept for about four hours last night after taking his painkillers and was woken around 05:00hrs GMT by Marc Guillemot on VHF. Sam Davies' ETA is likely to be after the operation has commenced.

A crew Jean-Baptiste Epron and Philippe Laot, from Team Generali, have left for Australia to go aboard a motor launch which will take them out to the area, and they will sail her back to Southern Australia.