On November 6, 2018, at 11:06 UTC, the FMCC received a first MEOSAR detection of an EPIRB signal from the maxi trimaran Banque Populaire IX that was taking part in the French offshore race La Route du Rhum.
The vessel was then located 340 nautical miles northeast of the Azores.
Immediately, the FMCC warned SPOC Gris-Nez, the contact point for foreign MRCCs in distress incidents involving French ships around the world.
A first MEOSAR position was then received at 11:51 UTC that was immediately communicated to the SPOC Gris-Nez and the MRCC Ponta Delgada (Azores), the competent authority for the search and rescue region (SRR) in which ship was located.
The skipper Armel Le Cléac’h took refuge in the overturned hull of the maxi trimaran, and was recovered later in the day by a fishing vessel tasked by the MRCC Ponta Delgada.
Read more at the French article here:
https://www.routedurhum.com/en/news/558