ISLE OF WIGHT, Scotland, Aug. 8 (UPI) -- Duran Duran singer Simon Le Bon is sailing in the Rolex Fastnet Yacht Race for the first time since he nearly drowned during the competition 20 years ago.
Le Bon, 46, piloted his 77-foot yacht, Drum, off the Isle of Wight Sunday, starting the 600-mile race with the same crew that was with him in 1985 when the boat capsized during bad weather and trapped them under the hull for 40 minutes.
Le Bon said he was excited to be back after 20 years and considered the Fastnet race to be "unfinished business," the Telegraph reported Monday.
Le Bon sold Drum to Scottish tycoon Arnold Clark after the accident and got it back on loan for the race, the Telegraph said. Assembling the old crew was just as easy.
"Taking part again is nothing as clichéd as unfinished business, it's more about getting an old bunch of friends together who haven't seen each other for a long time," Le Bon said. For us that race and accident is one of the most important things to happen to us in our lives. I am sure there will be a relief when we get to where we capsized. Someone will point it out as we pass and there will be a cheer."
A total 281 yachts started the race, which is expected to take five days.
