18.12.2008
Current situation aboard Generali after her skipper, Yann Eliès, fractured
his femur this morning.
Yann Eliès, the skipper of Generali, was seriously injured this morning, 800
miles to the south of Australia. Whilst leaning on the pulpit to prepare a
sail, the yacht came to a violent halt in a wave. Yann immediately felt a
searing pain and collapsed in agony. He had to crawl back inside his yacht
to alert his team. Jean-Yves Chauve, the race doctor, suspects it is a
fractured femur.
With Yann requesting to be evacuated, race management, via intermediary of
his safety consultant David Adams, based in Australia, has contacted the
Maritime Rescue Coordination center (MRCC) in Canberra, which is in charge
of the zone in which Yann is currently located. The Australian rescue
services have deployed a navy hospital frigate, which will leave Perth at
1950 UTC hours this evening. This military patrol boat has 800 miles to
cover in order to reach Generali, that is around two days (48 hours) of sea.
At the request of race management, Marc Guillemot and Samantha Davies have
diverted to offer moral support to the skipper of Generali, who is
immobilised in his bunk. At the point where they altered course, the former
was 100 miles to the south of Yann Eliès and the latter 535 miles to his
west. Vincent Riou and Armel Le Cléac’h also offered their services but the
weather wasn’t favourable for them to make good speed towards the scene. As
a result, at 1015 UTC, Marc switched to a N’ly course. He is now beam onto
the wind, with the boat slamming a great deal through the seas. Sam is still
about forty hours off site but is making steady headway.
After consulting the sailor, Jean-Yves Chauve, the race doctor, still
believes that Yann is suffering from a fractured femur. The latter must
reindex immobile in the warm and ensure that he eats and drinks well. Yann
will also have to try to access his first-aid kit to take some morphine
tablets. Ideally he will have to make a splint so as to immobilise his leg.
Alain Gautier hosted a press conference at Race HQ this afternoon and said
that Yann was still in his bunk at the chart table, where he’s been all day.
Not surprisingly he can’t find the nerve to move a few metres across the
cabin sole, which is obviously being jolted about every which way by the sea
state. However, he desperately needs to get to the medication both
physically and mentally now as he’s in so much pain. However, the doctor and
Alain Gautier are trying to urge him to pluck up his courage to get to this
kit and take some morphine painkillers as the frigate is likely to take 48
hours to get on site, which is an awfully long time to be in so much pain.
The frigate is leaving Perth tonight and Safran is due on zone between 1800
and 1900 hours tonight, though she is sailing under reduced sail due to
track issues. It is not thought that the skipper of Safran, Marc Guillemot,
will be able to board Generali as the sea state is forecast to be too lumpy,
but it is hoped his presence will be a psychological boost to Yann.
At 1500 hours UTC Roxy was 438 miles from Générali. Contacted at 1545 hours
UTC Sam reckoned she would need a good day to get on zone. “I am ready for
anything in my bid to assist Yann. He’s my No.1 objective now. I will stay
there as long as it takes the emergency services to arrive and ensure he is
not on his own. I feel silly about having complained about my own fall last
night when I see what’s happened to Yann. My thoughts go to his family and
his children who must be very worried. I just hope he will be rescued as
quickly as possible and as I head towards him I’m doing my best to
recuperate and ensure I’m fully fit when I get there.
Extracts from the 1430 UTC press conference
Erwan Steff, Sports director of the monohull Generali: “With the impact from
the pulpit, Yann felt his left leg dislocate. He immediately called us to
request assistance. It is impossible for him to move but he is now safely in
his bunk, in front of the chart table. The boat is hove to under three reefs
and staysail. There is 15 to 20 knots of wind on zone so conditions are
manageable. We are in permanent contact with him to monitor his health and
boost his spirits.”
Doctor Jean-Yves Chauve, Vendée Globe doctor: “We’ve just reassessed the
situation and the deformation of the knee would seem to indicate a fracture
to the lower third of the left femur. It’s not an open fracture. The only
risk is one related to bleeding. Yann is in a stable situation in his bunk.
He is suffering a great deal as he hasn’t yet managed to take his
painkillers, which are in a first-aid kit two metres from him. He has enough
morphine to last him for three days. He will also have to immobilise his leg
by making a splint so as to prevent the fracture from moving. I was in
contact with him several times this morning and it’s difficult for him.
However, this afternoon he had got a handle on the situation and was
comforted to know that everyone was joining forces to assist him.”
Translated by Kate Jennings – Expression
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