Global Solo Challenge: Single-handed sailor rescued from distress at sea

According to the organisers of the Global Solo Challenge, MacBrien was more than 1,300 nautical miles west of Cape Horn and more than 3,000 nautical miles from New Zealand at the time. Just a few days earlier, he had passed Point Nemo, the furthest point on earth from any land mass.

The chances of being rescued there are extremely slim. The reason for his emergency call was apparently a water ingress for as yet unknown reasons. There had been a final exchange of messages with the race organiser three days earlier, where he was apparently still in good spirits.

Despite being far from any shipping route, the MRCC Chile and MRCC Punta Arenas maritime rescue coordination centres managed to divert the bulk carrier "Watatsumi" to the scene of the accident. Around 46 hours after the Epirb was activated, MacBrien was able to board the freighter, which then continued its journey.

It is already the third accident in the Global Solo Challenge: on 12 February skipper Ronnie Simpson lost his mast in the South Atlantic. He was picked up by the Taiwanese bulk carrier "Sakizaya Youth" as he saw no chance of reaching the mainland, a good 650 nautical miles away, under his own steam.

As early as Christmas 2023 the Finn Ari Känsäkoski was caught in the Indian Ocean. However, he made it back to Cape Town in a remarkable odyssey on his own keel under emergency rigging.

About the Global Solo Challenge

Since the end of August 2023, 14 solo sailors, including one female sailor, have started the race around the world on yachts of different sizes in A Coruña, Spain. One boat flying the German flag is not taking part. The Düsseldorfer Philipp Hympendahl originally wanted to compete with a Comfortina 38but had to abandon the project.