Forthcoming celebrations at the Portsmouth stopover of this year’s Volvo Ocean Race have been overshadowed by the death of a competitor. Hans Horrevoets, one of the ten-man crew aboard AMN AMRO TWO, died this morning. Hans, 32, was washed overboard at 0211 (GMT), as the boat was sailing in 5m seas and 30 knots of wind, approximately 1,300 nautical miles off Land’s End.

The crew immediately took the sails down and turned the boat around to mount a search and rescue effort. Horrevoets was found unconscious in the water, and lifted back onboard, but could not be resuscitated.

ABN AMRO TWO is one of seven yachts competing in the race from New York to Portsmouth, where the fleet is expected to arrive on Sunday. The boat is now back on course for the finish. Bouwe Bekking, skipper of competing yacht movistar said. ‘Our feelings go out to the family of Hans, the crew of AMB AMRO TWO and all the other team members.’