Vestas 11th Hour Racing, what many consider the local team competing in the Volvo Ocean Race, was involved in a collision with another vessel approximately 30 miles from the finish line of Leg 4 in Hong Kong on Friday.
Race Control at Volvo Ocean Race headquarters was informed of the incident by the team at approximately 17:39 UTC on Friday, January 19, 2018. All of the crew on Vestas 11th Hour Racing were reported to be safe.
According to the Race’s website, the roster for Vestas 11th Hour Racing includes Charlie Enright (skipper), Simon Fisher, Mark Towill (Team director), Damian Foxall, Nick Dana, Tom Johnson, Tony Mutter, Stacey Jackson, Hannah Diamond, Roberto Bermúdez de Castro Muñoz, Phil Harmer, and Jena Hansen.
The 2018 Volvo Ocean Race Newport Stopover is scheduled to open at Fort Adams in Newport on May 8th.
This story will be updated below as more information is received.
Update: 1:30 am EST on January 20th via Volvo Ocean Race Headquarters on its website.
The Volvo Ocean Race is deeply saddened to inform that the collision between Vestas 11th Hour Racing, a team competing in the Volvo Ocean Race 2017-18, and a fishing vessel has resulted in a fatality of a crew of the fishing vessel.
On behalf of the Volvo Ocean Race and Vestas 11th Hour Racing, we offer our deepest condolences to the loved ones of the deceased.
The incident occurred approximately 30 miles from the finish of Leg 4, outside of Hong Kong waters. Race Control at Volvo Ocean Race headquarters was informed of the collision by the team moments after it happened at approximately 17:23 UTC on Friday January 19, 2018 (01:23local time on Saturday morning).
The Vestas 11th Hour Racing team, none of whom were injured in the collision, issued a Mayday distress call on behalf of the other vessel, alerting the Hong Kong Marine Rescue Coordination Centre (HKMRCC) and undertook a search and rescue mission.
HKMRCC informed Race Control that a commercial vessel in the area was able to rescue nine of the crew and that a tenth crew member was taken by helicopter to hospital. HKMRCC has since confirmed the death of the air-lifted crew member.
Volvo Ocean Race and Vestas 11th Hour Racing are now focused on providing immediate support to those affected by this incident.
All involved organisations are co-operating with the authorities and are fully supporting the ongoing investigation.
Update: 9:25 pm EST via Volvo Ocean Race Headquarters on its website
The Volvo Ocean Race can confirm Vestas 11th Hour Racing, one of the teams competing in the 2017-18 race, has been involved in a collision with a non-race vessel before the finish of Leg 4, near Hong Kong.
The team has retired from Leg 4 and is proceeding to Hong Kong unassisted and under its own power.
Race Control at Volvo Ocean Race headquarters was informed of the collision by the team moments after it happened at approximately 17:23 UTCon Friday January 19, 2018 (01:23 local time on Saturday morning).
The Vestas 11th Hour Racing team issued a Mayday distress call on behalf of the other vessel, alerting the Hong Kong Marine Rescue Coordination Centre (HKMRCC) and undertook a search and rescue mission.
HKMRCC has informed Race Control that a commercial vessel in the area was able to rescue nine of the crew and that a tenth crew member was taken by helicopter to hospital.
All of the crew on Vestas 11th Hour Racing are safe. Their boat suffered damage and the team has officially retired from the leg, but the team is able to motor to shore.
More information will be released as it becomes available.
UPDATE: 2150 UTC
Race Control at the Volvo Ocean Race has requested team AkzoNobel to divert from its course to the finish line in Hong Kong to support Vestas 11th Hour Racing following a collision with another vessel.