An American sailor participating in the Golden Globe Race requested an urgent medical evacuation from his yacht SPIRIT in the South Atlantic on November 7, 2026.
Guy de Boer contacted race organizers directly by satellite telephone shortly after 16:00 UTC. He stated that his condition had deteriorated to the point where he could no longer use his left arm, stand, maintain his balance, or eat.
The US competitor asked for an emergency airlift after informing officials that his left arm was unusable. He was unable to stand upright or keep his equilibrium.
The incident began on November 2, when de Boer fell inside the yacht’s cabin and struck his head. He potentially lost consciousness.
He first reported the accident to race manager Georgie Vintner the following day.
🚨 GGR 2026 | DISTRESS ALERT Guy deBoer aboard SPIRIT has requested urgent medical evacuation in the South Atlantic following an onboard fall. GGR is coordinating with Brazilian rescue authorities. 📰 Full press release & updates: https://t.co/nmQdhykfbL#GGR2026 #GuydeBoer pic.twitter.com/hybpvkvx1V
Dr Spike Briggs of MSOS discussed the sailor’s condition with the Golden Globe Race (GGR) team. Dr Spike Briggs advised against him continuing in the solo sailing competition, recommending instead that he sail downwind toward Punta del Este, Uruguay.
Although de Boer acknowledged the guidance, he initially hoped to continue. He reported some improvement on November 4.
By November 5, however, his manager reported further balance difficulties. The sailor indicated an intention to change course toward Rio de Janeiro.
Family concerns prompted relatives to contact Brazil’s Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) late on November 6. They contacted GGR in the early hours of November 7.
GGR officials provided the Brazilian officials with the vessel SPIRIT’s safety paperwork, data on emergency gear, contact particulars, distress beacon ID numbers and pictures of the boat.
When de Boer made his direct evacuation request shortly after 16:00 UTC on November 7, organizers immediately instructed him to activate his EPIRB, keep his satellite telephone active, and have his grab bag nearby.
Don McIntyre notified MRCC Brazil at 16:20 UTC and submitted official situation reports shortly thereafter.
Two Brazilian Navy divers were expected to be involved in recovering De Boer from the yacht.