Europe's news in English

COPY LINK

CRIME

French Ocean Race skipper faces sexual misconduct claims

A leading French skipper who unexpectedly quit the round-the-world Ocean Race earlier this month faces a legal probe over allegations of sexual assault against a crew member, a source in the French Sailing Federation has said.

Published: 14 June 2023 09:33 CEST

French Ocean Race skipper faces sexual misconduct claims

Kevin Escoffier. (Photo by LOIC VENANCE / AFP)

Kevin Escoffier, 43, announced on June 3 that he was abandoning the Ocean Race while skippering the Swiss boat PRB-Holcim following an alleged “incident” with a member of his team during a stop in Newport in the United States on May 15.

His boat had led after each of the first four legs of the race.

After investigating, the French Sailing Federation reported the allegations to prosecutors in Paris in order to launch a legal enquiry, a source at the federation told AFP, asking not to be identified.

Federation chief Jean-Luc Denechau told AFP last week that the incident involved “inappropriate behaviour towards a woman during a night-out”.

Escoffier hit international headlines in 2021 when he was dramatically rescued in the south Atlantic by a rival while competing in the Vendee Globe
race.

He spent 11 hours clinging to his lifeboat after his boat split in two.

He won the Ocean Race in 2017-18 and also the Transat Jacques-Vabre in 2005.

Member comments

Log in here to leave a comment.

Become a Member to leave a comment.

Man shoots 2 officers in Paris police station after grabbing gun

The incident happened in the French capital’s 13th district shortly before 10:30 pm on Thursday night.

One of two officers shot and seriously wounded at a police station in Paris was fighting for his life Friday, the police chief of the French capital, Laurent Nunez, said.

The man was arrested for “a very violent attack on a woman” with a box cutter.

The policemen took him to the police station and had him blow into a breathalyser when the attacker grabbed one of the weapons, said Nunez. He then seriously wounded the pair of officers.

Both officers were immediately transferred to hospital.

“[The officer’s] life is still in danger,” Paris police prefect Laurent Nunez told broadcaster France Info.

Shootings in police stations in France are very rare.

The prosecutor’s office said three investigations had been launched – including “the attempted murder of the woman” and the “attempted murder of persons holding public authority.”

The third was being carried out by the IGPN, the national police’s internal affairs department, to look into the use of “intentional violence with a weapon by a person holding public authority”, as is routine when an officer uses their weapon.

Nunez did not provide any information about the attacker.

Police do not know whether the man knew the woman he had attacked, adding that the police officers called to the scene had to break down the door of the flat, he said.

The suspect was wounded by return fire and hospitalised. His life is not in danger, according to prosecutors.

Url copied to clipboard!