French adventurer, 75, dies while rowing across Atlantic Ocean

Jan. 23 (UPI) — A 75-year-old adventurer from France died when his boat reportedly overturned during his attempt at a solo row across the Atlantic Ocean.

Jean-Jacques Savin had left from the coast of Portugal on New Year’s Day and was on his way to Ponta Delgada in the Azores, a Portuguese archipelago about 870 miles west of Lisbon, his team said in a Facebook post Saturday announcing his death.

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Savin had activated two beacons on Friday to alert his team that he was experiencing “great difficulty” before losing contact with them.

The Portuguese Maritime Authority found his lifeless body in the cabin of his canoe, named l’Audacieux, which had overturned near the Azores, the team said.

“Unfortunately, this time the ocean was stronger than our friend, who loved sailing and the sea so much,” the statement reads.

In a post made to Facebook before his death, Savin said the canoe was experiencing strong gusts of wind but that he hoped they would help push him toward the islands. He also said he had issues with a solar sensor used to charge a device that converts seawater to drinkable water.

“Rest assured, I’m not in danger!” Savin posted Wednesday. “Despite it all, I’m not giving up at all!”

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Savin, a former military paratrooper, previously crossed the Atlantic Ocean in an orange barrel.