![Storms Éowyn and Herminia: a sailboat found “gutted” 80 kilometers from the coast, a 73-year-old man missing](https://euro.dayfr.com/temp/resized/medium_2025-01-26-49c9d3d42a.jpg)
A 73-year-old British boater, who was sailing alone off the coast of Gironde (southwest of France), is missing in the Atlantic, swept away in recent days by storm Eowyn then depression Herminia, announced Sunday the Maritime prefecture.
The sailboat sailing under the American flag was located Friday evening about 185 km west of the mouth of the Gironde estuary, despite a weather alert, but its sole occupant, a British septuagenarian, had indicated by radio that he was safe and continue on your way. However, its emergency beacon was activated on Saturday afternoon about 80 km west of Lacanau (Gironde), leading to the intervention of emergency services.
“At 5:30 p.m., the helicopter arriving in the area found the gutted sailboat and winched up its two divers who discovered the empty raft”explained the Maritime Prefecture (Prémar) of the Atlantic in a press release.
Despite the deployment of a Falcon 50 aircraft from the French Navy and a Caiman helicopter, as well as the diversion of two ships, the search was suspended “lack of new elements” around 1:30 a.m. during the night from Saturday to Sunday.
“The Atlantic maritime prefecture recalls the precautionary instructions relating to navigation and the practice of water sports during winter with numerous depressions”she stressed.
-Kayakers
The Atlantic coast has been swept away in recent days by storm Eowyn which caused great damage to Ireland and Great Britain, before the passage on Sunday of a new depression called Herminia. A major rescue system had to be deployed on Saturday to assist six kayakers dispersed by Éowyn off the coast of Saint-Nazaire (Loire-Atlantique). They were recovered safe and sound in the early evening, according to Prémar.
On Sunday, heavy rain and strong winds disrupted rail and road traffic in the regions affected by Herminia and floods led the city of Rennes (western France) to evacuate several streets. The departments of Finistère, Côtes-d'Armor, Pyrénées-Atlantiques, Hautes-Pyrénées and Rhône had been placed on orange wind alert on Sunday morning, but this vigilance was lifted on Sunday midday concerning the two Breton departments. Furthermore, four departments in the west of France have been placed on flood alert, while Morbihan is subject to rain-flood alert.
France