At 14:00 UTC on Sunday, the skipper of the yacht "Triana", Jean d'Arthuys, informed McIntyre Ocean Globe Race Control (OGR) of an incident on board. Crew member Stéphane Raguenes had fallen on deck and suffered a severe open wound, nine centimetres long and three centimetres wide, on the back of his leg behind the knee.
Stéphane was taken below deck so that first aid could be administered immediately and the blood flow stopped. He was sedated and given painkillers. He was conscious, spoke and was reassured by his crew members.
MSOS, the OGR's 24-hour telemedicine team, and TMAS, International Telemedicine Support, were contacted and photos of the injuries were transmitted by satellite for diagnosis. Medical advice was given to the crew. OGR declared Code Orange and OGR protocols were put into effect.
CROSS Gris-Nez, the Maritime Coast and Guard Agency, the MRCC in Portugal, the MRCC in Spain and the MRCC in Morocco were informed. Stéphane's relatives were informed that the wound was serious but not life-threatening.
Several options for help
In consultation with the MSOS and OGR Control, Captain Jean d'Arthuys weighed up a number of options. Firstly, there was the option of an emergency evacuation to a container ship "Chicago E" ten nautical miles away, which had a doctor on board and was prepared to provide assistance.
A second consideration was the transfer of the doctor Tanneguy Raffray from the "Neptune", another French OGR participant. The Neptune was only twelve nautical miles away at the time. Unfortunately, the weather conditions with north-westerly winds of 17 to 20 knots and four metres of swell ruled out both options.
Another suggestion was to head to Portugal, 135 nautical miles to the east. However, Jean decided to continue south to Las Palmas. MRCC Las Palmas was informed of the situation and asked for a rescue helicopter as soon as the yacht arrived in harbour.
The "Triana", a Swan 53, is now on the fastest way to Las Palmas/Gran Canaria, where Stéphane will be taken to hospital tomorrow (Tuesday), weather permitting.
"Triana" is one of the favourites
Despite a difficult start to the race, "Triana" is currently leading the Adventure Class and is in seventh place overall and fifth place in the IRC ranking in the midfield of the fleet. The yacht, skippered by French media entrepreneur and wine producer Jean d'Arthuys, had to interrupt the race for four hours on the third night to repair a broken steering cable. The repairs were successfully completed with a Dyneema rope, allowing her to continue sailing unhindered.
The Swan 53, one of the smaller yachts in the race, sails with a crew of just eight and is considered by many to be the one to watch. She led the Adventure class by a large margin. Sébastien Audigane, the first helmsman, is a familiar face on the professional French sailing scene. He has already circumnavigated Cape Horn six times and set two Jules Verne world records.
The Ocean Globe Race started on Sunday, 10 September 2023, in Southampton, UK, on a 27,000-mile sprint across the world's oceans. The fleet is divided into three classes and comprises a total of 14 participating yachts. Stopovers include Cape Town in South Africa, Auckland in New Zealand and Punta del Este in Uruguay before the race ends back in the UK in April 2024. In a nod to the first team regatta around the globe 50 years ago, the Whitbread Round the World Race 1973-74, the Ocean Globe Race will take place in retro mode. Without budgets in the millions and equipped with modern technology, the yachts are also largely sailed by amateurs.
