herakles
20-12-2008, 04:29
From the Melbourne Age newspaper:
Navy closer to reaching stricken sailor
December 20, 2008 - 2:36PMA Royal Australian Navy frigate, racing to rescue a seriously injured solo round-the-world sailor in the Indian Ocean, is expected to reach him as early as Saturday evening.
Yann Elies, a competitor in the Vendee Globe race, broke his left thighbone and possibly several ribs in a fall on the deck of his yacht Generali in rough seas 1200km south-west of Perth.
HMAS Arunta left Fremantle shortly after 6am (WDT) on Friday and should reach Elies' boat on Saturday evening, much earlier than expected due to favourable conditions.
"The ship was originally expecting to reach the site on Sunday, but the latest update is that it is now looking at arriving on scene tonight after making better time through the sea," a defence force spokesman told AAP.
Elies broke his leg early on Thursday morning when the Generali was slammed by a huge wave as he was changing sails on the 18-metre vessel.
Race organisers said the 34-year-old Frenchman had managed to drag himself to his bunk but can't move, which means he's unable to reach his first aid kit and morphine supply.
As well as a rescue team, the Arunta is carrying a Royal Flying Doctor Service medic and between them they have been practicing rescue manoeuvres in an inflatable rubber boat (IRB) alongside the frigate, RFDS spokeswoman Lesleigh Green told AAP.
"They have been trying to figure out how they are going to go about this, as weather conditions around his location are reported to be deteriorating" Ms Green said.
"Race organisers say the sailor is confined to his bunk and cannot move and unable to reach for his morphine supply, which is a great concern.
"He must be in the most stressful pain and he has not had anything really to eat or drink, except a little bit of lemon juice and milk, so he will be dehydrated."
Ms Green said that after successfully boarding Elies' boat, the RFDS doctor would insert an IV drip and administer anaesthetic before transferring him from the Generali to the IRB and then onto the frigate.
"The patient's also been complaining of chest pains and difficulty in breathing which could mean he also has broken ribs as well as the broken leg," she added.
In the six-race history of the French round-the-world event for unassisted solo sailors on Open 60 class yachts, records show that two lives have been lost.
Two other race competitors, Tony Bullimore and Thierry Dubois, were rescued by Australian defence forces during the 1996-97 event after getting into trouble in the seas south of Western Australia.
Navy closer to reaching stricken sailor
December 20, 2008 - 2:36PMA Royal Australian Navy frigate, racing to rescue a seriously injured solo round-the-world sailor in the Indian Ocean, is expected to reach him as early as Saturday evening.
Yann Elies, a competitor in the Vendee Globe race, broke his left thighbone and possibly several ribs in a fall on the deck of his yacht Generali in rough seas 1200km south-west of Perth.
HMAS Arunta left Fremantle shortly after 6am (WDT) on Friday and should reach Elies' boat on Saturday evening, much earlier than expected due to favourable conditions.
"The ship was originally expecting to reach the site on Sunday, but the latest update is that it is now looking at arriving on scene tonight after making better time through the sea," a defence force spokesman told AAP.
Elies broke his leg early on Thursday morning when the Generali was slammed by a huge wave as he was changing sails on the 18-metre vessel.
Race organisers said the 34-year-old Frenchman had managed to drag himself to his bunk but can't move, which means he's unable to reach his first aid kit and morphine supply.
As well as a rescue team, the Arunta is carrying a Royal Flying Doctor Service medic and between them they have been practicing rescue manoeuvres in an inflatable rubber boat (IRB) alongside the frigate, RFDS spokeswoman Lesleigh Green told AAP.
"They have been trying to figure out how they are going to go about this, as weather conditions around his location are reported to be deteriorating" Ms Green said.
"Race organisers say the sailor is confined to his bunk and cannot move and unable to reach for his morphine supply, which is a great concern.
"He must be in the most stressful pain and he has not had anything really to eat or drink, except a little bit of lemon juice and milk, so he will be dehydrated."
Ms Green said that after successfully boarding Elies' boat, the RFDS doctor would insert an IV drip and administer anaesthetic before transferring him from the Generali to the IRB and then onto the frigate.
"The patient's also been complaining of chest pains and difficulty in breathing which could mean he also has broken ribs as well as the broken leg," she added.
In the six-race history of the French round-the-world event for unassisted solo sailors on Open 60 class yachts, records show that two lives have been lost.
Two other race competitors, Tony Bullimore and Thierry Dubois, were rescued by Australian defence forces during the 1996-97 event after getting into trouble in the seas south of Western Australia.