The Maxi Banque Populaire IX capsized during the night of 13 to 14 April 2018 - around 3 a.m. - while it was off the coast of Morocco. The maxi trimaran had left Lorient on 10th April to head for the Mediterranean to take part in the Nice UltiMed, the first race of the season, which kicks off on 2nd May.
The crew - Armel le Cléac'h, Pierre-Emmanuel Hérissé (technical director Banque Populaire) and a cameraman - is safe inside the boat. They were able to activate their distress beacon and warn the team ashore. A boat is already on its way to join the trimaran and its crew in the coming hours. For the moment we don't yet know what caused the trimaran to capsize.
What about the Nice UltiMed?
Heavy weather conditions were expected on the "route" of the boat, which was sailing "false" single-handed. Armel le Cléac'h was accompanied by his technical director, but the latter was only required to observe. The trimaran was due to reach the South of France around 16th April. The crew that was to take part in the Nice UltiMed was to join the skipper and his boat in Cadiz in a few days for a final training session towards La Ciotat, where they were to do a technical stand-by before going to Marseille on April 24th for the warm-up of the race.
For the race, Armel le Cléac'h had to be surrounded by Ronan Lucas ( director of Team Banque Populaire), by Pierre-Emmanuel Hérissé (who directed the construction of the boat) as well as Franck Cammas, Billy Besson and Charlie Dalin.
