The hours leading up to the rescue of the likeable skipper, who finally wanted to fulfil his dream of completing the Vendée Globe on his third attempt, were dramatic. The French supply ship "Marion Dufresne II" had received the distress call from the MRCC in France yesterday and immediately set off at top speed towards the Open 60, which was drifting with its keel half torn off. The ship reached Kito de Pavant around dusk. There were still 6 to 7 Beaufort winds on the spot and the swell was enormous after the storm of the last few days, according to the captain of the supply ship. So both skippers decided against a rescue in the gathering darkness. The captain of the "Marion Dufresne II" reports:
We had visual and radio contact with Kito de Pavant, but as it was getting dark and the weather was rough, it was impossible to act immediately. We collectively decided to wait until daylight and then make a rescue with our dinghy. De Pavant described his situation as follows: He had got the water ingress under control, and if his keel broke off and the boat capsized, he would leave it via the emergency exit and climb into the life raft, and we would retrieve him there. We kept in regular radio contact with him, which allowed him to get some sleep. In the morning, the situation began to deteriorate rapidly and the water level below deck rose. So we rescued him with our dinghy. He was very tired and, above all, extremely disappointed that he had to abandon the race and his boat. The ship's doctor took care of him immediately.
A short time later, Kito de Pavant himself reported the events:
I was lucky in misfortune. The "Marion Dufresne II" was in the area, and that only happens four times a year... The situation became critical last night, I couldn't get the ingressing water under control. The floorboards were already floating. It was hard to give up my boat here in the middle of nowhere in the Southern Ocean. The loss moved me a lot. But it was the only solution because I had hardly any power left for the pumps, the engine was already under water and the batteries could no longer be charged. A large area of the hull was damaged when the keel was ripped out along with the bottom of the aft keel mount. The hydraulic cylinder of the swing keel worked its way more than a metre through the hull. It made me sick to see the boat in this condition. It became too dangerous for me...
After his accident and before his planned rescue, Kito de Pavant sent this moving video from the Southern Ocean, accompanied by a frightening soundscape.
He explains how the collision happened:
It was a huge crash. I was doing 15 to 20 knots in 25 to 30 knots of wind and very heavy seas. I wasn't going too fast, I was sailing carefully and I wasn't too high upwind. I hit something, but I don't know what. I just heard the loud bang and immediately thought it must have been something hard. But when I looked behind the boat, I couldn't see anything. What I had heard must have been the break in the boat. The impact had broken the aft part of the keel out of the hull and the axle had been torn out aft. When I looked, the keel was still attached. But by the time I had furled the headsail to slow the boat down and checked again, it had sunk about four centimetres deeper. It was getting worse and worse. There was nothing I could do. I switched to the other bow to sail northwards, but then quickly realised that the boat couldn't go any further. I took the main down and contacted the race organisers. Fortunately, the "Marion Dufresne II" was only 110 nautical miles away from me. The other option for help would have been Louis Burton, who was about two days away from my position. So he wouldn't have arrived until tomorrow morning. It's terrible to have to leave the boat behind like that. I've lost a lot and the whole thing will have very serious consequences for me. It's the first time I've lost a boat. It hits me very hard. But physically I'm fine.
It is not clear what exactly the 55-year-old means by "serious consequences", as most of the boats are normally insured for the race. De Pavant will now remain on the supply vessel, which will be calling at the Crozet Islands, the Kerguelen Islands and the island of Amsterdam for the next three weeks. Perhaps a good break to get some distance from the terrible hours that lie behind him.
Andreas Fritsch
Editor Travel
