This is a rare danger but can be fatal. Returning from the West Indies after winning the RORC Caribbean 600 with Figaristes Guillaume Pirouelle and Alexis Loison at the helm (respectively 17th and 16th in the last Solitaire du Figaro Paprec), accompanied by Pierrick Letouzé and Valentin Sipan, the Class 40 Sogestran Seafrigo was hit by lightning, Sunday in the middle of the night. A twist of fate which led to the start of a fire and a leak, fortunately very quickly brought under control by the two sailors on board, Pierrick Letouzé and Noa Geoffroy.
“After 12 hours needed to identify the position of the navigators and rescue them, they were welcomed aboard the freighter Frio Ionan en route to Panama,” detailed their team in a press release, indicating that they were safe and sound, while an operation was launched to recover the 15-meter monohull adrift on the Atlantic. “The detection beacon is still working. We are putting everything in place to recover the 197 and put it back into working order very quickly. From the beginning, our history with this boat has reminded us that we must not give up. We will continue in this direction. Above all, we are happy that our teammates are safe and sound,” said Cédric Chateau, Normandy Offshore Program sports director and co-skipper of the class 40 Sogestran Seafrigo who left in search of the West Indies.