Ongoing Search for Missing French Sailors
In the early hours of Sunday, May 24, two French nationals aboard a catamaran reported a malfunction while sailing off the coast of Morocco. Following their distress call, they abandoned their vessel approximately one hour later. As of now, search efforts have successfully located the catamaran, but its accompanying dinghy—a small inflatable boat—remains unaccounted for, raising concerns about the fate of the two sailors.
The missing individual, identified as Vincent Donzé, a 25-year-old surfing enthusiast, was part of a crew transporting the catamaran from the Caribbean, following a stopover in Madeira, Portugal. The situation took a dire turn when, at 3:15 AM on Sunday, the crew declared an emergency. The father of Vincent, Adrien Donzé, expressed his distress, stating, "Right now, it’s sheer anxiety. We haven’t received any news. All we know is the scale of the search operations underway." He emphasized the significant resources being deployed for the rescue, including two helicopters, two airplanes, and three rescue boats from Moroccan teams. On Monday, May 25, a French Navy Falcon aircraft joined the search efforts, reinforcing the international response to this alarming situation.
One hour after the distress signal was sent, the two French nationals exited their catamaran. Adrien Donzé also noted a glimmer of hope in the fact that his son and his companion had time to prepare before abandoning the boat, potentially allowing them to take suitable clothing for an emergency landing in the water. Despite the catamaran being discovered adrift and subsequently towed to a Moroccan port, the inflatable dinghy has not been located, and the survival raft that was deployed was found empty. Since the incident, no trace of the sailors has been found, heightening fears for their safety.
As reported by franceinfo.fr.
