Ocean Rescue

I am devastated to hear of Yann Elies broken leg. Saw him the day before the start in Les Sables d'Olonne, riding his bike, standing on the pedals, with his daughter on the seat behind him. Kind as always, he rode over and introduced his daughter to me.

Though suffering from an injury which caused her to pass out from the pain, Samantha Davies has re-routed to join the rescue.  “I was stacking all my sails and equipment ready for a gybe, and at the time I was stacking a spinnaker in the back of the boat, under the cockpit. Unfortunately, as I was pulling on it, a sail-tie broke, and I went flying backwards, landing my elbow into a winch transmisson box. It hurt so much that everything went black, and I passed out.”

Sam and ROXY are days away from Generali, but moving to the location as quickly as possible.  Despite her own injury, Sam is intent on offering aid to her fallen friend.

A solo sailor myself (on a MUCH smaller scale), this is my nightmare. You have all of our best wishes, Mr. Eliès, and God's speed to the rescuers.

MP

From today's emergency press conference:

Dr Jean Yves Chauve, Official Race Doctor for the Vendée Globe:

“ For the moment he [Yann] is in his bunk but he is in a lot of pain but at least he is a little more comfortable now. From what he described in terms of the deformation it was pretty clear that he has a fracture of his left leg.”

“ The biggest risk is if there is a displacement so that he has to do everything possible to avoid movement. He has morphine on board, probably enough for three days.”

Erwan Steff, Team Generali Manager:

"He has not taken any medication yet [the med kit is 6 feet away, and out of reach], all that he has been able to do is crawl back inside the boat and get into his bunk in front of the nav station close to his iridium phone, but he has not been able to open his medical kit, but to even pick up the phone is an effort, and the boat’s movement is painful for him. The doctor’s advice is that he conserves his energy for the next 30 hours because he is in a lot of pain. "

The biggest fear for me as a skipper with a crew and as a solo sailor is illness or injury. A shiver ran down my spine when I heard and now he must wait for the Australian Services to medivac him as fast and as safely as possible.

One reason for our gates on the course is to keep us from the worst of the ice picked up by satellite but also in this region it is so that we are within a range for the rescue services available. This just goes to show why they are essential.

I couldn't believe that another fellow competitor has had such bad fortune.

TRAGIC!
I hope they can get to him soon. Our prayers go out to him.

Fellow Vendée Globe skipper Marc Guillemot sailing Safran has now arrived close to Generali after sailing 100 miles to reach the injured skipper.

Guillemot will remain near Yann Eliès until the arrival of the Royal Australian Navy’s Type Anzac Frigate HMAS Arunta. A medical team is on board HMAS Arunta and should take around 40 more hours to reach Generali’s position which is approximately 1100 miles SSE of Perth, Australia.

Guillemot approached under substantially reduced sail in around 15-18 knots of wind, and has remained about 100 meters away from Generali. He says the objective at the moment is primarily to let Yann Eliès know that he is there close by, but there are no intentions of trying to transfer across from his Open 60 Safran on to Generali, unless there is a change in the injured skipper’s conditions or the risk to him increases.  

Guillemot spoke to Eliès by Iridium phone and by VHF and will continue to speak to him to help monitor his condition as well as offering him support and encouragement.

"Yann is visibly reassured to know I am nearby. I want to assure his wife and two children that I will not let him down. I will remain with him whatever happens, and I will do my utmost to ensure that everything goes for the better pending the arrival of relief [from the HMAS Arunta]," said Guillemot moments ago.

I wish Yann all the best. It must be tough for Marc, laying near by and not being able to do anything. I think that I would be tempted to launch my life-raft and let it drift down on Yann's vessel for him to crawl into.

I've sailed that ocean alone. It can get awfully ugly very quickly. If it gets bad, the chances of a successful rescue could quickly fade.

Our prayers go out to Yann.

We have just received an email from the Generali shore team. They tell us that Yann Eliès has managed to get some sleep, and eat what he had within reach, milk and a cereal bar. Unfortunately, Yann is still suffering from the pain, unable to reach his morphine tablets.

The rescue boat should reach Yann around Saturday evening. Meanwhile, Marc Guillemot continues to stand by, within view of Generali, offering emotional support.

Wind is currently around twenty knots from the west, but conditions are expected to build, with winds of up to 35 knots expected.

We have just received word from the Safran shore team, relaying a message from Marc Guillemot.

Marc Guillemot: “Currently out here we have around 20 knots of wind, between 18 and 23.  The sea is rough, but probably less than when I arrived. The sun is out, which means I can open the door up and see what is going on.  I've had Yann on the VHF. He has been sleeping, so I took advantage to get some sleep too.  So at that point I moved away from him slightly, but now we're back close to each other with about a mile between us. I'm going to try to get close to his stern and toss him a bottle of water.  I'm going to stay here for as long as it takes.  3 days, 10 days, whatever. The race was yesterday. Now we've moved on to something else. I had a similar experience a few years ago. I'm just trying to talk to him, to reassure him.  The subject doesn't matter.  He knows he can rely on me. It's more of a psychological help than a physical one, but that's important, because in general it's the head that looks after the rest of the body. That will help him, while he awaits the arrival of the rescue team.”

Serious injuries are rare in sailing. Especially when you sail your 30 footer! But on these racing machine, where the speedometer often hits 20 knots or more, it's another story. Generali slammed into a wave and stopped brutally. The shock is to be compared with a car crashing into a wall. He could have been thrown overboard! What we tend to forget is that all those courageous sailors risk their lives each time they race! Yann is a tough guy and will recover quickly! All the best, Yann! There are a lot more people with you than you might imagine!

DuffDuff

I am torn between racing to Yann at a breakneck speed and not pushing too hard to risk damage to myself or Roxy. I know I must be sensible, and get some rest en route so that if I am needed I will be on form. I'm ready to do anything to help, as I’m sure any of the other skippers in this race would be.  The trouble is, as Yann cannot move and we are alone on our boats in quite big seas, there is little we can do other than offer company and moral support as we await the rescue. We are, of course, also on stand by to help if ever Yann’s condition were to deteriorate. I feel for Marc on Safran right now - being so close to a friend who is suffering so much, but feeling almost useless, is a tough situation to be in. At least Yann can now hear a friendly voice nearby which must be comforting and reassuring.  My thoughts go out to Yann’s wife Soizig and their family, who must be extremely worried to hear that their loved one is in trouble so far away from home. 

Thankfully, soon he will be in very good care.

When the news came through yesterday my immediate thought was ‘oh no not another one.’ It makes me focus on survival. I just need to survive.  My biggest fear is illness or injury and Yann’s thigh bone break is one of the most extreme types of injury you can get. I can’t imagine how he must be feeling or what the hell he is going to do.  If that happened to me, I would have similar problems in reaching for the painkillers in the medical kit. These kits are heavy and they have to go somewhere – you can’t just leave them lying around. Mine is stacked on the shelf but it is not easy to get to. He is not even mobile enough to get a bag of stuff together for when he is lifted off. So that started me thinking about what stuff I would take if I had to be lifted off like that.  And what happens to the boat? It is a perfectly good boat – nothing wrong with it but it’s not like you can drop someone off on board and ask them to sail it back for you. And he’s not going to be able to get back out there and sail it back because he’s going to be in hospital for a while.  Everyone else has had a trauma or a problem that is manageable but to have an injury like that is heartbreaking. He has no option but to get off the boat and that is the most difficult thing of all.

Though globally there’s been very few incidents involving physical injury, this one’s a big one… since Yann can’t move anymore. This is really full-on. I don’t know how he’s managing with a broken femur… it’s crazy. We’ll have to get him out of there quickly.

This kind of accident certainly makes you want to be more vigilant. I try to anticipate a problem before it arises. I always say to myself that if I come crashing to a halt from doing 15 knots to 3, where would I end up?… On my chart table, on some electrical equipment… As such I try to position myself so the impact is as soft as possible. When I go up on the foredeck, I go as far as the mast initially. Then I look at the rhythm of the waves which the boat is being stirred up by. I correct the automatic pilot so that the boat has the most appropriate rhythm and course, and I choose which moment to move forward. Just now, the seas are throwing us around and you can’t stay upright naturally. Over the past two days – and I’ve only got to go two metres between the cockpit and the boat’s interior – you could really have come a cropper. The boat is shifting about a lot and you simply can’t follow her. I’m not surprised that you can hurt yourself.

Nous sommes dans une phase de transition. On attend du mauvais temps pour la nuit à venir. Concernant la blessure de Yann Eliès, c’est ce qui peut arriver de pire. Qu’on casse des bateaux, ça ne fait quasiment ni chaud ni froid mais quand c’est le bonhomme, c’est dur. Je prends des nouvelles régulièrement par l’intermédiaire de Marc. C’est ce qui peut arriver de pire en solitaire, le SMUR ne débarque pas dans les 10 minutes. S’il y avait eu quelque chose à faire, on était tous partants pour y aller. Quand il se passe quelque chose comme ça, la priorité n’est plus la course. S’il avait fallu y aller, on aurait tous fait le nécessaire pour y aller. Cela restera une parenthèse dans la course. Personne n’aura de cœur à faire la course tant que Yann sera seul dans son bateau. Moi, ma blessure au pied m’a handicapé dans la mesure où je n’ai pas pu aller sur la plage avant pendant deux semaines. La nuit avant que Yann ait son accident, j’ai enfourné et j’ai terminé sur la table à cartes. Il y a des gros chocs. Les mouvements peuvent devenir importants et on peut vite se faire éjecter. Pour les jours à venir, il n’y a pas beaucoup d’options stratégiques. Le terrain de jeu n’est pas très ouvert à cause des portes qui sont rapprochées. Il y aura peut-être des petits coups à jouer car les modèles divergent. On pourra peut-être gagner ou perdre quelques dizaines de milles mais rien de fondamental. Les leaders ont un avantage qui n’est pas négligeable. Le jeu de l’élastique leur a été favorable. La course est longue, elle n’est pas finie et en plus, elle est semée d’embûches. C’est une course qui est encore très ouverte. Le vent varie entre 18 et 42 nœuds. J’ai du changer 7 fois de configuration de voilure. On va avoir des jolis creux. La nuit prochaine sera agitée!

It’s a somber day today as we all wait for news on Yann’s condition and his pending rescue. I know myself I have gone over the scenario a dozen times trying to contemplate such a situation and it is a bit overwhelming. I know all the skippers including me wish these was something more we could do but he is in good hands and I can only hope that the situation will improve from here.

Hi all
 
Sorry not to have written yesterday, but my mind was on what was happening on Generali and hoping that Yann was going to be ok. I know that a fractured femur is almost the worst injury you can get out in the wilds. I cannot imagine what he is going through on his boat, and how long 48 hours is going to feel like to wait for the Australian Navy vessel, whilst stuck on your bunk, unable to reach anything.  I was very glad to hear last night that his condition was stable.
 
The Race Direction have done a great job, and to have Marco on Safran there on standby and Sam on her way, is a great psychological boost for Yann.  The Australian Navy are doing a magnificent job sending one of their big frigates to the scene at top speed. The Vendée Globe is a race and everyone is fiercely competitive, but there is never a hesitation in going to a fellow racer’s assistance. In the regions where we are sailing now, it’s just the other skippers who are close by. Like many other skippers, I offered to the Race Direction my assistance to go to Generali, but it was not necessary. I hope that all goes well from now till when Yann gets to hospital in Australia.

Yann has now gained access to painkillers to relieve some of his pain. Yann Eliès cut into one of his bags with a knife, and found the painkillers, a drink, and a bit of food.

The Australian frigate is due to reach Générali early this morning according to Marc Guillemot on Safran, who was in contact with the crew of HMAS Arunta.

Sam Davies is unlikely to be there before the rescue team, but is continuing to sail towards Yann just in case, while awaiting further instructions.

Finally, after 48 hours of agony, Yann has been rescued by the Australian Navy with Marc Guillemot (Safran) and some dolphins as single wittnesses. On his way to Australia now and will be transferred to France in a few days. Happy ending for this longlasting drama! Get well, Yann and Merry X-Mas!! To all of you of course!

DuffDuff  http://lesvoilesdeduffduff.blogspot.com

FANTASTIC news, well done and God Bless to everyone involved.  Merry Christmas indeed to Yann and his family and all of you wonderful people out there who cared and helped.  Youre great.x

Yann Elies has been rescued!

Read the story, and see the dramatic video:

http://yachtpals.com/vendee-rescue-generali-4035