A French around-the-world sailor has been handed a vital lifeline of fuel from a passing tanker after losing his mast off the Australian coast.
Stephane Le Diraison was competing in the Vendee Globe non-stop solo around the world race when his yacht was dismasted deep in Southern Ocean on December 17.
He was uninjured and managed to set up an improvised rig to limp into Melbourne, more than 950 nautical miles away.
But with limited manoeuvrability, the French sailor was in danger of being pushed away from the Australian mainland by strong northerly winds.
On Christmas Day, Le Diraison managed to hail down a bulk carrier off the Victorian coast and was given 200 litres of fuel to enable him to get his stricken yacht to Melbourne.
Because of the difference in size of the two vessels, the fuel canisters were transferred by rope line to Le Diraison’s yacht.
Le Diraison filmed the delicate deep sea fuel exchange with the Captain J Neofotisto, posting it on YouTube, saying the magnanimous gesture defined the solidarity shown between seafarers.
“I really, really appreciate for me, it’s a very nice Christmas present you offer me,” Le Diraison told the crew of the ship.
Le Diraison was in tenth position in the gruelling race, which started from France on November 6, before being forced to abandon the race.
Friend Christian Boillot said Le Diraison was in good spirits.
“He’s doing well, he had a few days where he was pretty distressed three or four days ago,” Mr Boillot said.
“A race like that, it’s the hardest race on the planet and you have about 30 guys who have five to ten years’ investment in preparing for the race so Stephane was quite disappointed to have to abandon.”
“It was a challenge because he tried to salvage his mast and his sails but that was too dangerous and so he had to cut them off.”
Le Diraison is expected to bring his 60-foot racer Sinbad into Melbourne on Friday (Dec 30).
The yacht will be loaded onto a freighter and shipped back to France.
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Source: ABC
