Sam Davies out of Vendee

Samantha Davies (GBR), the only female skipper in the single-handed Vendee Globe race has been dismasted in gale-force winds off the island of Madeira in the North Atlantic.

At 1945hrs (French time), on Thursday, November 15, Samantha Davies contacted the race office of the Vendée Globe to report that her boat had dismasted. Davies is not injured. She is safe inside the boat with all the watertight doors closed. She is monitoring the situation and does not require assistance. She is wearing her survival suit and has safety equipment at hand. 
 
When the incident occurred, she was about 130 nautical miles northwest of Madeira (position 34° 20'N 19° 01'W). The conditions at the time of dismasting were:  Wind 260°, 40 knots, swell northwest, three to four metres. But the situation will gradually improve, with winds decreasing to 15 knots in the second half of the night.

After speaking to Davies, the race office contacted the Cross Griz Nez (France’s Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre) to release an urgent Notice to Mariners (AVURNAV). All vessels navigating in a 200 nautical mile radius around her yacht Savéol were informed of the incident and the position of the boat.