It is a scene that has unfortunately become commonplace in the Mediterranean: a boat drifting with migrants on board trying to reach Europe. Thibaut Vauchel-Camus, winner of the last Transat Jacques-Vabrecrossed paths with one of them this Monday, October 7, while he was transporting his trimaran between Morocco and France, a small boat barely 6 m long, with 16 people on board . The 45-year-old professional skipper decides to help his occupants. One of the passengers died. “We understood that it was a young man of 22 years old, diabetic who no longer had insulin, and who ended up dying from it.“, he described this Wednesday to the sports department of Radio France.
The crew then provides water and a little food to the survivors who have been drifting for several days. “They were out of gas. They left Algeria with the ambition of arriving in Spain“, explains Thibaut Vauchel-Camus. He calls emergency services in Spain who send a lifeboat to bring them back to Andalusia.
“It’s revolting”
But for the navigator, member of the NGO support committee SOS Mediterraneanthis situation is untenable when many cargo ships have passed nearby without stopping. “When we see that we, professional sailors, we take risks at sea with full conscience, and in the event of a problem, there are impressive means implemented to recover us. And in front of that, there are people adrift, in front of everyone, and nothing is happening. It’s revolting.“A few years ago, Thibaut Vauchel-Camus had already crossed paths with a boat, empty this time.
Thibaut Vauchel-Camus – Solidaires En Peloton
