Bourgnon is rescued in the Atlantic
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Sailing
Big seas and high winds added to the drama of the rescue of the top French yachtsman, Laurent Bourgnon, last night. He had clung to his upturned yacht in the Atlantic, pounded by massive waves, as the wind gusted between 35 and 50 knots.
His 60ft trimaran Primagaz was lying fourth in the Europe 1 Singlehanded Transatlantic Race, which started from Plymouth on Sunday. It had capsized but with the port hull sticking up in the air, activating an automatic emergency warning beacon. He had manually activated another alarm yesterday morning, indicating he was still alive.
The Liberian bulk carrier, Long Challenger, rushed to the scene in an operation co-ordinated by the emergency services in Halifax, Nova Scotia, but could not at first lift him out of the water and it was several hours before he was safely on board. Bourgnon, whose exploits include crossing the Atlantic from west to east on an 18ft Hobie, was eventually able to swim over and climb up the pilot's ladder, and is now heading for Rotterdam.
Tim Law won the first race of the Hackett World Championship for the Etchells 22 in the Solent yesterday, after leading almost from start to finish.
A north-easterly breeze, shifting in direction by up to 30 degrees and rather patchy in strength, caught out the local favourite, Eddie Warwick, who went from second to sixth, and some of the foreign visitors, but Australia's Peter Conde came a credible fourth and Sweden's Nils Razmilowic, with David Bedford and Phil Lawrence as crew, was second in a top 10 dominated by eight Britons.
EUROPE 1 SINGLE-HANDED TRANSATLANTIC RACE Positions: Multi-hulls: 1 F Joyon (Banque Populaire) 1,542 miles to finish; 2 L Peyron (Fujicolor) 1,609; 3 P Vatine (Haute Normandie) 1,618. Monohulls: 1 V Malingri (Anicaflash) 1,986; 2 P Goss (Aqua Quorum) 1,988; 3 G Soldini (Telecom Italia) 1,994.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments