Francis Joyon was rescued by a cargo ship after capsizing during the Route du Rhum

Successful rescue mission for Francis Joyon. The skipper of Océans, entered in the Vintage Multi category of the Route du Rhum 2026, was rescued Monday November 2 around 11 p.m. Joyon had capsized a little earlier in the day, without being injured. A cargo ship, the Maersk Colombus, was able to assist him and bring him to safety, said the organization of the event.

The 70-year-old sailor will now head towards Ireland, where he should arrive very soon. For Francis Joyon, one of the most experienced at the start of the event, the mishap fortunately ended without drama. He was among the leading ships in his category when his boat capsized in the Celtic Sea, 200 nautical miles (about 370 kilometers) southwest of Ireland. “He was sailing in conditions of 20 knots (37 km/h), he was quite calm since he had a reef in the mainsail, it was an oversold (a sudden increase in wind) which caused the boat to turn around a little after 2:30 p.m.,” the director of the Route du Rhum, Francis Le Goff, explained to Radio France.

Francis Joyon won the event in 2018 for Ultim, snatching victory from François Gabart in the final moments of the race. His fear serves as a reminder of the dangers of the seas, however experienced the participants may be.