After covering 1500 miles in about 20 days, the stolen boat was spotted at the main port of Las Palmas, in the Canary Islands.
"But the authorities arrived too late and the thieves had already left," said Aurélie Baron, one of the association's leaders.
"It's likely they'll need to make another stopover for supplies. The ports of the Canary Islands have been warned.
If you sail in these waters, or if you know friends out there in the Canary Islands/Cape Verde, and you spot them, notify the police quickly and the association by email or phone." (info@belespoir.com / 02.98.04.90.92)
An atypical sailboat
The Rana II is a sloop admiraler built in 1974. Its characteristics are as follows: length 14.75 m, width 3.90 m, draught 2.31 m in polyester laminate. Its deck plan and colour make it an easily recognizable sailboat
Until now it has been used for social and therapeutic purposes.
? This boat was used to take young people from the districts of Marseille and its surroundings to sea, thanks to the volunteers of the AJD Marseille branch. We need to find him as soon as possible to continue this activity on site ", explains Aurélie.
? This yacht welcomed crew members from all walks of life: young people, adults, those with educational or social difficulties, or those with disabilities. Its sailing programme is very full, with 2 to 3 sailings per week. While waiting to find him, we are looking for solutions in order to continue to make the trainees navigate. ?
The ADJ is the association founded by Father Jaouen to broaden the horizons of young people leaving prison. Having broadened its horizons, its aim today is the social and professional reintegration of young adults from all walks of life, but also to enable all audiences to discover sailing and benefit from its boats. In Marseille, the association owns two boats:
- the Rana II
- the Largade II, a sailboat that once belonged to Florence Arthaud (10.50 m)
We are clearly entitled to question the relevance of stealing a sailboat used by an association that comes to the aid of those in need. The AJD is an association founded in the 1950s, whose initial objective was to take young offenders to sea to help them regain a balance in their lives.
An isolated case?
Theft of sailing boats of this size is relatively rare on our coasts. The mobilization of all the sailors and players in the maritime sector has already made it possible to find boats long after they have been stolen. Let's hope that Rana II will be found quickly and that she can return to her Marseilles anchorage.
