Emmanuel Macron called the skippers Jean Le Cam and Kevin Escoffier to congratulate them on the latter's rescue.

During a video call of a few minutes, an admiring Emmanuel Macron spoke with the two sailors.

"Hats off!", "We're super proud!", "And shit for the future!": An admiring Emmanuel Macron congratulated Jean Le Cam and Kevin Escoffier on Tuesday for the night's sea rescue, during a long video call between the president and the skippers at sea. From his office, the head of state, filmed by the presidency who posted the video on Twitter, listened to Kevin Escoffier tell how he waited, for hours on his raft, to be drafted by Jean Le Cam, another Vendée Globe competitor.

Yes We Cam!


Bravo @JeanLeCam for the rescue of @KevinEscoffier.

Solidarity before competition is what the Vendée Globe is all about.

pic.twitter.com/oiiUksrw36

- Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) December 1, 2020

"Oh my God !"

"How long did you spend in survival mode?" Asks the President of the Republic.

"A dozen hours," replied the skipper, whose boat sank in heavy seas off the Cape of Good Hope.

"Ah, the cow!" Exclaims Emmanuel Macron.

"I was caught in a wave, the boat instead of coming out fell back to 90. The water entered the boat, it rose very, very quickly. (...) I succeeded. to take a beacon and retrieve a raft. "

Falling into the water, he inflates his raft and waits for the sea to calm down a bit for a transhipment into Jean Le Cam's boat, who came to his aid.


"That's why he compared it to mackerel fishing," jokes the president.

"More like tuna fishing," laughs the sailor.

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"It made all the seafarers proud"

"You go from complete doubt and fear (...) to great happiness when Kevin gets on board. From doubt to the result. (...) I imagine that for you it must be a bit like that too", Jean Le Cam testified.


"I remain humble, we do not have those moments when we risk our life and where we directly save the life of another", commented the president, saying himself a great admirer of Le Cam.

"It made all the seafarers proud, everyone was very moved by what happened last night. You have shown that it is not just a competition. It is also values ​​and camaraderie, ”he applauded.

"People need simple things that are reassuring, that sort of thing is part of the real values ​​I think", commented the sailor.

"I think so too", approved the president.

"We are very proud of what you have done. (...) I can tell you that it makes me feel good too", smiled Emmanuel Macron.

"Yes we Cam", concluded the skipper, explaining that his boat had been named in reference to the campaign of Barack Obama.

"Go to the end, Jean!", Concluded the president by hanging up.