Volvo Ocean Race: Home win for Hong Kong team, drama surrounding Vestas collision

For the first time in the 45-year history of the Volvo Ocean Race around the world, a sailing team flying the Hong Kong flag has won a leg. The underdog team had double cause for celebration because the success was achieved in their home port of Hong Kong. Sun Hung Kai / Scallywag completed the 5600 nautical mile leg from Melbourne to Hong Kong in just over 17 days, despite being man overboard. The winners sailed this leg for the first time with British navigator Libby Greenhalgh. Thanks to Greenhalgh's golden touch, the crew got through the equatorial doldrums perfectly, bucking the fleet's trend by boldly shortening course into supposedly weaker winds, taking the lead and never relinquishing it until the finish. But after crossing the finish line, events came thick and fast and overshadowed the victory celebration.We have updated our article at the end.

The Danish-American team Vestas 11th Hour Racing, which was in second place at the time, almost came to a standstill - clearly visible on the live tracker image - and was only shown travelling at a speed of one to three knots, while the Dongfeng Race Team, which had been in third place until then, came ever closer and eventually overtook Vestas. On social media, fans were flooded with anxious questions: "What's going on with Vestas?", "Please give us information about what happened!".

One hour after theWinner at 6.45 pm German time had crossed the finish line off Hong Kong and had been greeted enthusiastically, the organisers of the Volvo Ocean Race released an initial statement in which aCollision between Vestas 11th Hour Racing and another boat is confirmed, which is against6.39 pm - which happened just a few minutes after the winning yacht crossed the finish line - around 30 nautical miles before the finish line. A short time later, it became known that the race organisers had asked the team AkzoNobel, which was in fourth place at the time, to change course and provide assistance to those involved in the collision. AkzoNobel's team complied with the request, but was soon able to set course for Hong Kong again because there were apparently enough rescuers on site.

In a later update, the Volvo Ocean Race organisers confirmedat 2.10 a.m. early Saturday morning German time Other facts: Team Vestas 11th Hour Racing had reportedly sent out a distress call ("Mayday Distress Call") for the other boat, alerted the Hong-Kong Marine Rescue Coordination Centre (HKMRCC), which immediately launched a search and rescue operation. The HKMRCC informed the Volvo Ocean Race organisers that a vessel was able to rescue the nine crew members and a tenth crew member was flown to hospital by helicopter. The condition of the injured crew member was initially unknown. All crew members of Vestas 11th Hour Racing are safe, the organisers reported. However, Vesta's boat was damaged. The team officially declared its abandonment for this leg, but wanted to reach the harbour without escort and under its own engine power. Further information on the cause, course and consequences of the collision for the crew of the boat involved alongside Vestas 11th Hour Racing will be announced later on Saturday. The disturbing news from the sea also brought back memories of the29 November 2014 awake. Back then, the Vestas Wind team ran aground on a reef in the Indian Ocean. The sailors were uninjured.

After the second-placed Dongfeng Race Team arrived in Hong Kong, its skipper Charles Caudrelier said: "Our first thoughts are centred around this terrible news. We are of course very sad to hear about it. It is always very dangerous when sailing in fishing areas where there are so many boats, some of which are travelling without lights. This is terrible news for the fishermen, for Vestas and for the Volvo Ocean Race."

UPDATEJanuary 20, 11 a.m.: A Chinese fisherman died as a result of the collision between the fishing boat and the racing yacht of the Vestas 11th Hour Racing sailing team, which occurred after a slight time correction by the organisers on Friday evening German time at around 6.23 p.m. just a few minutes before the Sun Hung Kai / Scallywag team won the stage. The accident happened about 30 nautical miles before the finish line off Hong Kong. Nine fishermen were rescued by a third boat not involved in the race not far from Waglan Island. A tenth fisherman was seriously injured and flown by helicopter to a hospital, but died and was pronounced dead there at around 11 p.m. German time. Other fishermen are being treated at Eastern Hospital.

The Danish-American team Vestas 11th Hour Racing, which was in second place at the time of the accident, abandoned the leg and reached the finish harbour in Hong Kong under its own power with a damaged boat. The local authorities have launched an investigation into the accident, and the organisers and the team involved have pledged their full support and cooperation in several statements.

After the fourth of eleven stages, the Spanish team Mapfre, which finished fourth in Hong Kong, continues to lead the overall standings of the round-the-world ocean marathon, ahead of the Chinese Dongfeng Race Team (2nd in Hong Kong) and Team Vestas 11th Hour Racing. Stage winner Sun Hung Kai / Scallywag moved up to fourth place, pushing Bouwe Bekking's Dutch team Brunel (5th in Hong Kong) into fifth place overall. The race will continue on 1 February with a 100 nautical mile sprint from Hong Kong to the Chinese port city of Guangzhou and back.