The 36th Atlantic Rally for Cruisers (ARC) began their ocean crossing on November 21 from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria toward the Caribbean island of Saint Lucia. But bad news is now reported concerning a casualty among the 141 participating yachts.
“World Cruising Club is sad to report the death of crew member Max Delannoy on board the ARC yacht Agecanonix during the night of 26/27 November. The full circumstances of the incident are not known at this point. The three-man, all French crew, were sailing Agecanonix, an X-Yachts X4.3, as part of the ARC IRC Racing Division, and had opted for a course well to the north of the rhumb line route to Saint Lucia, aiming to avoid the light winds affecting the southerly route close to Cape Verde.”
A MAYDAY call was made from the Agecanonix around midnight November 26-27 requesting a medical evacuation. However, the injured crew member Max Delannoy was declared dead before any outside help could be provided.
MRCC France Gris-Nez was initially involved in controlling the incident, before passing over to MRCC Ponta Delgada in the Azores, as the closest station to the Agecanonix. At the request of MRCC, the cruise ship PV Mein Schiff 1, diverted to evacuate Philippe Anglade, who was also injured, Jean-Philippe Anglade and the body of Max Delannoy.