Vendée Globe, steering system failure for Yannick Bestaven

At 2100hrs UTC yesterday evening, while sailing in rough seas, five metres of waves and nearly 30 knots of wind approximately 450 miles east of Cape Horn, Yannick Bestaven contacted his shore-based technical team to report a steering system failure on his Maître CoQ V monohull. The cause: a problem with the rudder link bar (the system that connects the two rudders, which are then connected to the pilot cylinders). After several hours of work Bestaven was able to set up a temporary system using ropes to steer his IMOCA. He is fine and resumed his journey during the night, although forced to sail at a reduced speed. He is studying the repair options with his team.