Yann Elies i säkerhet

No, me I have to go on… to go to france, now…

Yann Elies (Generali) som bröt lårbenet i Vendee Globe här om dagen är nu i säkerhet på en australiensisk fregatt. Skönt! Det rykas också att man hann med att slänga i ett paket (vin, färskt bröd och en keps från astralienskiska flottan) till Marc Guillemot (Safran). Han har frågat seglingsledningen om lov att öppna det utan att det skall räknas som assistans utifrån…

Nu skall ett par killar från Generalis team ut och rädda båten. Ett tag skojades det om att man skulle släppa ner Bernard Stamm (vars Cheminées Poujoulat gick sönder), men var oroliga att han helt enkelt skulle fortsätta racet hem till Frankrike…

Händelsen har också gett rubriker i Aftonbladet. Det är sådana här saker som engagerar vanliga människor.

Yann Elies, has been successfully transferred to the Australian Navy’s HMAS Arunta

Yann Elies, the skipper of Generali who broke his left femur on December 18, has been successfully transferred to the Australian Navy’s HMAS Arunta, an Anzac Class Frigate.

The Arunta reached Generali, around 850 miles south-south-east of Perth this morning, and at around 0940h (GMT) a RIB came alongside Generali. Two personnel were immediately dispatched on board the yacht to assess Yann Elies’ condition, while the Arunta remained around 200 metres upwind of Generali, holding station to provide a lee shelter.

At 1050hrs an emotional Marc Guillemot, skipper of Safran who had been standing by alongside Generali, confirmed on this morning’s live radio broadcast that the transfer of Yann Elies from Generali onto HMAS Arunta has been completed.

Speaking from the scene he said: “Some highly professional work. They prepared Yann for the transfer. Still heavy swell but they carried out manoeuvre perfectly. Yann is now aboard the frigate and has a doctor taking care of him.”

“It was like a dream. It didn’t seem real. They took care of that magnificently.”

On board the Frigate Elies will be assessed by the civilian doctor on board and is expected to be taken to Perth military hospital.

The Australian frigate’s RIB then returned to Generali to pick up two crewmembers who were on board to assist with the transfer. The Open 60 will be left to drift by the crew and the Vendée Globe race directors will continue to monitor her position. A crew 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.

Guillemot and fellow skipper Sam Davies, on Roxy, who has also left the race to head towards Generali, will now rejoin the race.