French sailor Matthieu Perraut was rescued on Thursday morning, two days after his Ocean Fifty

French sailor Matthieu Perraut was rescued on Thursday morning, two days after his Ocean Fifty trimaran capsized during the Route du Rhum 2026. The 36-year-old skipper, who was competing in the transatlantic race, is reported to be in good health and safe aboard the rescue vessel Merida, according to a statement from his team.

Rescue operation near the Azores

Perraut’s vessel capsized approximately 400 miles north of the Azores archipelago on Tuesday at around 10:00 p.m. The Merida, a 35-meter support ship tasked with assisting the Ocean Fifty class during major transoceanic events, reached the site on Thursday morning to retrieve the sailor.

The crew of the Merida, led by Adrien Hardy, is currently attempting to right the capsized trimaran to enable a tow toward the nearest port. This rescue marks the third such operation since the start of the 13th edition of the Route du Rhum. Previous participants, including veterans Francis Joyon and Armel Le Cléac’h, were also rescued after their respective boats capsized earlier in the race.

Increased attrition in the 2026 fleet

Perraut’s withdrawal marks the seventh abandonment of the 2026 Route du Rhum. The race, which began under favorable weather conditions, has seen a significant accumulation of technical failures and structural damage. In addition to the capsizing incidents, other notable competitors have been forced to retire, including Charles Caudrelier, the winner of the previous edition, as well as Jérémie Beyou, Armel Tripon, Alexis Loison, Fabien Delayaye, and Quentin Le Nabour.

The frequency of these accidents has prompted discussion among the sailors still in the race regarding the intensity of the competition. Basile Bourgnon, who holds the lead in the Ocean Fifty category, noted the psychological toll of the recent events. “Sometimes, we wonder if we aren’t a bit at the limit. You have to push to create a gap, but as soon as you can, you try to rest and push the accelerator less.”

Current race standings

Despite the high rate of attrition, the race continues for the remaining fleet. As of Thursday morning, Tom Laperche maintained the lead in the general classification, followed by Louis Burton and Thomas Coville. In the Ocean Fifty class, Basile Bourgnon continues to hold the top position, with Pierre Quiroga and Léonard Legrand in pursuit.

Organizers have noted that the Merida is specifically equipped to recover and tow Ocean Fifty trimarans, and they stated that no boat in this class had been lost in nearly a decade prior to this series of incidents. The recovery of Perraut remains the primary focus for his team, with the vessel expected to reach the Azores shortly to finalize the logistics of the salvage operation.

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