The Banque Populaire IX maxi-trimaran driven by Vendee Globe winner Armel Le Cléac 'h capsized unexpectedly off the coast of Morocco. All the crew on board were rescued and the boat was towed to the shores of Casablanca.
The 105 foot trimaran was on a training voyage and was heading from the Canary Islands towards the Spanish city of Cadiz. On board at the time were the skipper, Armel Le Claisse, crew member Pierre Emmanuel Hérissé and a cameraman.
According to the skipper, they were moving in light winds and stable weather conditions. All three were inside the boat when the wind suddenly picked up to 18-20 knots. Le Clé loosened the mainsail, but it wasn't enough.
«It happened very fast," Le Claisse said. - I tilted the boat sideways, and I was upside down in the water, which flooded the cabin,».
After confirming that everyone was in one piece, the skipper signalled his distress and, enlisting the help of the crew, rescued the equipment.
A cargo ship arrived in the area of distress two hours later, but the survivors were not able to get out of the boat immediately. It was well into the night.
A naval helicopter sent to rescue the sailors could not take off from Casablanca until the following afternoon. It took the crew of the trimaran to the military port of Casablanca where they were fed and treated.
«The sea conditions were acceptable for sailing," Le Claisse commented. - We sailed in much more challenging conditions before. Everything changed in a matter of seconds. In my opinion, it was just a sudden gust of wind».
Two Coast Guard divers and three technical crew members were sent to the overturned trimaran.
After several hours of work to salvage the equipment and the shattered mast, the 32-meter boat was taken in tow for transport to Casablanca.
The team's main task now is to recover the trimaran for the Route du Rhum transatlantic race in November.
