Australian navy rescues injured French yachtsman
The Australian Navy hope to rescue Elies soon
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Saturday, 20, Dec 2008 02:00
An Australian naval frigate has rescued a French yachtsman after he broke his left femur during the Vendee Globe round-the-world solo race.
Yann Elies sustained the injury while guiding his yacht through the Pacific Ocean when a large waved slammed his vessel just south of Australia.
The HMAS Arunta has been sent to help the stricken 34-year-old and is expected to him sometime on Sunday with medical help.
Fellow Vendee competitor Marc Guillemot changed course to give Elies some vital supplies. Guillemot managed to throw a bag containing water and pain killers from his boat on to Elies' yesterday.
"The conditions are difficult, knowing there's a guy suffering next to you is really tough," Guillemot told France's RTL radio.
"I was able to speak to him and that was very comforting for him."
The HMAS Arunta had to travel approximately 800 miles to reach Elies but arrived ahead of schedule.
British yachtswoman Sam Davies also changed course to assist Elies and told Sky News that decision was an "automatic reaction".
"I think everyone would do the same thing," she said.
"When it's a matter of a life or the safety of something you don't think twice about the race – you go straight to help them."
Davies admitted she had come close to fainting two days ago following a separate accident on her own yacht.
"I hit my arm and it hurt so much I nearly fainted," she added.
"It's a terrible feeling to be on your own, incapacitated, and not even be able to get your first aid kit, which is what happened to me and what happened to Yann."
Before the incident Elies was eighth in the race which started from the French Atlantic port of Les Sables d'Olonne on November 9th. Thirty boats started the race but 12 have since withdrawn.