THE extraordinary series of dramas that have marked the second leg of the Volvo Ocean Race continued this week when Team SEB navigator Marcel van Triest jumped over the side of the boat with 1,800 miles of the leg still to go.

The 37-year-old Dutchman abandoned ship 18 miles off the coast of Australia after hearing that a member of his immediate family had died.

He was picked up by a waiting motorboat and taken to Perth in Western Australia, where he caught a flight home to Europe.

An experienced yachtsman who is competing in his fourth race, van Triest will rejoin the boat during the second stopover in Sydney and his boat, which is currently leading the Volvo fleet, will not be penalised after he sought permission from the race organisers before diving over the side.

Skipper Gurra Krantz said: "We have altered the watch systems onboard to accommodate for these unexpected changes, to a set-up which has been previously planned in case of illness or injuries onboard.

"It is, of course, a sensitive and unwanted situation, but in these circumstances Marcel's situation and human values are the deciding factors. Thanks to our preparations we believe we can still keep our competitiveness in the fleet."

"This is a very difficult and sad situation and Marcel has our full support in his time of loss," said Team SEB managing director, Pelle Norberg.

It also emerged this week that Lisa McDonald's 'Amer Sports Too' and Norwegian entry 'djuice dragons' have both been protested by the race committee for sailing into an illegal zone one hour after the second leg start in Cape Town.

But according to 'Amer Sports One' skipper Grant Dalton, they were not the only ones to contravene the rules.

"I look forward to seeing the plots from all the fleet at that time, as our observation was that the other boats infringed as well," he said.

"We were very careful to keep outside as at the skippers' briefing the day before the race director clearly stated that they would take action against anyone who infringed.

"As much as I am sorry for Amer Sports Too since we are on the same team, I hope that we don't have any more of this 'fine' carry on. This is a direct rule contravention and should be dealt with in that manner."

The protest, which took the committee 16 days to lodge, will be heard in Sydney after the boats arrive there during the first week of December.