Philippe Benoiton, 63, veterinarian in Beaucouzé (49), whose body was recovered lifeless this Wednesday. He was sailing solo on his JPK 9.60 when his track was lost off the Spanish coast, in the Cape Finisterre area.
Race director, François Seruzier, was able to establish that the sailboat was moving slowly in the middle of the night and that it had notably turned around at 5:49 a.m. Competitors Yann Gindre and Michel Foucart aboard "L'Opale - To Each His Everest" were diverted to try to come to the aid of the solo skipper. The sea conditions, 20 knots of wind, and waves of around 2 meters, did not allow them to board the boat. The Spanish coast guard, who once on site found that there was no one on board, launched an aerial search. The aerial search continued and led to this disastrous discovery. The lifeless body of Philippe Benoiton was recovered by emergency services this Wednesday, the day after his boat was found.