Race organisers announced on Tuesday that a crew member of a German yacht participating in the Royal Ocean Racing Club's Transatlantic Race had died after an accident occurred during the crossing between Spain and Antigua. The club previously stated that a crew member on the German yacht Walross 4 had been knocked out of consciousness near the halfway mark of the race. Matthias Kahnt, a German skipper, was sailing the boat with a crew of novice students.

In a statement, ASV-Berlin (the sailing club that owns this yacht) said the injured crew member died after being transferred to another commercial vessel nearby as part of a coordinated search and rescue.

In the statement, it was stated that the remaining crew of the sailboat were receiving professional medical care while en route to a destination port which had not been identified.

Deb Fish, RORC's Commodore, expressed her condolences to family members and friends of the crew member.

Fish said in a statement that "I extend my deepest sympathy to the family, friends, and loved ones of this crew member."

We are thinking of the crew of the yacht at this difficult time. "We would like to thank everyone involved in the emergency response for professionalism."

The race started on the Spanish island of?Lanzarote and finished in Antigua, in the Caribbean.

The American trimaran MOD70 Argo broke the course record on Friday by finishing in less than five days. (Reporting and editing by Cynthia Osterman; Ossian shine)

(source: Reuters)