?We need to understand why this happened,? says Alex Thomson after rescue from capsized Hugo Boss during the two-handed Transat Jacques Vabre Race

Alex Thomson and his co-skipper, Spanish sailor Guillermo Altadill, were airlifted off the 60ft yacht Hugo Boss yesterday afternoon some 82 miles off the north coast of Spain. They had set off their emergency EPIRB when what was described as ?a rogue wave? capsized the yacht and inverted her, flooding Hugo Boss, dismasting her and leaving her disabled.

A helicopter crew from the Salvamento Maritimo, the Spanish Coastguard, came to the aid of the pair, who were taking part in the Transat Jacques Vabre race from Le Havre to Itajai in Brazil.

Thomson is going back out with his team to try to salvage the yacht, which was built in preparation for his attempt at the solo Vend?e Globe race next year.