Classification
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Incident Type | Grounded |
| Severity | High |
Vessel Details
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Vessel Name | Vestas Wind |
| Vessel Type | Other |
| LOA (m) | 22.14 |
| Breadth (m) | 5.60 |
Vestas Wind was a Volvo Ocean 65 one-design racing yacht.
Incident Details
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Date | 2014-11-29 |
| Region | Indian Ocean |
| Coordinates | -16.2412, 59.5915 |
| Location | Cargados Carajos Shoals, about 240 nautical miles northeast of Mauritius |
| Fatalities | 0 |
| Injuries | |
| Missing | |
| Outcome | All nine crew were evacuated after the racing yacht grounded, sustained severe damage, and was abandoned. |
| Direct Damage | |
| Estimated Economic Damage | |
| Investigation Body | Volvo Ocean Race independent inquiry |
Key facts
- Vestas Wind struck the reef shortly before 19:16 local time while racing at about 16 knots in darkness.
- The daggerboard broke during the initial impact, both rudders were lost, and the yacht became stranded within minutes.
- All nine crew left the yacht by 03:15 the following morning; the inquiry reported bruises and minor abrasions but did not give an injury count.
- The National Coast Guard of Mauritius collected the crew after the yacht Alvimedica diverted to provide communications and standby support.
- The inquiry found that the crew believed the shoals were safe to cross and had not identified the navigational danger shown by available charting information.
Narrative
Vestas Wind was competing in Leg 2 of the 2014-2015 Volvo Ocean Race from Cape Town to Abu Dhabi. At least two days before reaching Cargados Carajos Shoals, the skipper and navigator discussed the feature but incorrectly assessed it as a seamount with a minimum charted depth of about 40 metres. On 29 November the yacht gybed north at 14:40 local time. The navigator went to sleep at about 16:00, while the skipper remained awake and assisted the deck watch during changing conditions.
Shortly before 19:16, after nightfall, Vestas Wind was sailing at about 16 knots when the crew saw disturbed water ahead. The daggerboard broke on the first impact. The keel then struck the bottom, the yacht pivoted sharply, and both rudders were lost. Attempts to use the keel mechanism and engine did not free the yacht, which became stranded within minutes as waves broke over it. The crew notified Race Control within about six minutes and made a Mayday call that was acknowledged by the local coast guard station and a fishing vessel.
The hull deteriorated during the night. Water entered through damage around the stern, the starboard side was breached, and main battery power was lost. Race yacht Alvimedica diverted from about 50 nautical miles astern and stood by on the western side of the reef. The crew deployed liferafts across the reef into calmer water and repeatedly revised an abandonment plan as the stern broke up, the keel bulb detached, and salt-water-exposed batteries began to smoke.
Shortly before 03:00 on 30 November, the crew abandoned Vestas Wind one person at a time across the reef. By 03:15 all nine were with the liferafts. The inquiry reported only bruises and minor abrasions, without an exact injury count. At 05:36 the National Coast Guard of Mauritius reached Alvimedica, collected the crew from the reef, and transported them to the local coast guard station. The yacht remained on the reef after sustaining extensive structural and steering damage.
Sequence of events
| Date/time | Event |
|---|---|
| 2014-11-29 14:40 local | Vestas Wind gybed onto a northerly course expected to cross the shoals. |
| 2014-11-29 about 16:00 local | The navigator went to sleep while the skipper remained on watch. |
| 2014-11-29 shortly before 19:16 local | The yacht struck the reef at about 16 knots and lost its daggerboard and rudders. |
| 2014-11-29 about 21:15 local | Hull flooding made it unsafe for the crew to remain below deck. |
| 2014-11-29 21:56 local | Race Control recorded the loss of the yacht's telemetry after main battery power failed. |
| 2014-11-30 shortly before 03:00 local | The crew decided to abandon the yacht across the reef. |
| 2014-11-30 03:15 local | All nine crew had left the yacht and reached the liferafts. |
| 2014-11-30 05:36 local | The Mauritian coast guard arrived and collected the crew from the reef. |
Contributing factors
| Factor | Evidence status | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Hazard assessment | Reported | The inquiry found that the crew incorrectly believed the shoals had a minimum charted depth of about 40 metres and were safe to cross. |
| Use of navigational information | Reported | The inquiry identified deficient use of electronic charts and other data, ineffective route planning, and failure to consult the paper charts and sailing directions carried aboard. |
| Electronic chart presentation | Reported | The inquiry found that islands, reefs, and dangers were omitted from several small- and medium-scale C-Map displays, creating a false impression that the shoals were safe to cross. |
| Detailed chart access | Reported | Only one onboard computer could use the detailed C-Map licence at a time; the weather-routing laptop lacked detailed coverage of the islands and drying areas. |
Investigation
Volvo Ocean Race commissioned an independent inquiry into the stranding. The report team concluded that the immediate cause was the crew's unawareness of the navigational danger and identified deficient use and presentation of electronic chart information as contributing factors. It also issued recommendations on passage planning, chart-system use, navigational review, and race procedures. This was an organizer-commissioned inquiry, not a state marine-casualty investigation, and the team had no power to compel testimony.
References
Video
Related
- Vestas Wind
- Electronic chart system grounding-avoidance configuration
- Indian Ocean
- Grounding
- Volvo Ocean Race independent inquiry