VIDEO SHOWS: FRENCH COUPLE AND 'ECO-ADVENTURERS', MATTHIEU WITVOET AND CHLOE LEGER WITVOET, EMBRACING AS TRANSATLANTIC CROSSING COMES TO END / INSTAGRAM POST ANNOUNCING END OF CROSSING / SWIMMERS DURING FIRST TWO WEEKS OF CROSSING EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: FOOTAGE OF PAIR DEPARTING CAN BE FOUND IN EDIT 8625-FRANCE-OCEAN/CONSERVATION-SWIMMERS / REUTERS INTERVIEWS WITH SWIMMERS BEFORE THEY BEGAN JOURNEY AND FOOTAGE OF TRAINING CAN BE FOUND IN EDIT 8377-FRANCE-OCEAN/CONSERVATION-SWIMMERS RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT SHOWS: AT SEA, ATLANTIC OCEAN (RECENT - NOVEMBER 2025) (@CHLOE LE CALVEZ - Must on-screen courtesy '@Chloe Le Calvez') 1. FRENCH COUPLE OF SWIMMERS AND 'ECO-ADVENTURERS', MATTHIEU WITVOET AND CHLOE LEGER WITVOET, HUGGING WITH MATTHIEU CRYING 2. COUPLE HUGGING 3. COUPLE WITH SIGN READING (French): "The swimming stops, the adventure continues" INTERNET (NOVEMBER 15, 2025) (@CHLOE LE CALVEZ - Must on-screen courtesy '@Chloe Le Calvez') 4. POST ON INSTAGRAM SOCIAL MEDIA WITH TEXT READING (French): "'The boat's tiller broke.' The captain's words stunned us. For two years now, we have been preparing to swim across the Atlantic to raise awareness about ocean conservation in schools. Two years of training, preparing educational kits with the Water Family, bringing on board committed partners, building a strong team, establishing strict protocols, and anticipating every possible eventuality. Yet this one we hadn't seen coming..." 5. DETAILS OF POST WITH SAME TEXT 6. OTHER PAGE OF POST READING (French): "The cable connecting the two tillers and rudders snapped, probably due to the sea conditions and the pressure from the sea anchors. To sum up the situation, it's a bit like driving a car without a steering wheel while trying to keep up with a pedestrian. You can go straight ahead, but it's impossible to follow a swimmer in the middle of the waves. Over the past 24 hours, we've tried to repair it, considered all options, and even tested swimming with a towline behind the boat." 7. OTHER PAGE OF POST READING (French): "But the conclusion remains the same: in these conditions, in the middle of the Atlantic, it's impossible for the boat to ensure the swimmers' safety. It is therefore with immense sadness that we announce this news. The boat stops, but the adventure continues. Today, the Ocean at School Mission is stronger than ever in our hearts." AT SEA, ATLANTIC OCEAN (RECENT - NOVEMBER 2025) (@CHLOE LE CALVEZ - Must on-screen courtesy '@Chloe Le Calvez') 8. VARIOUS OF CREW MEMBER TRYING TO REPAIR BOAT 9. BOAT AND SUN 10. LEGER WITVOET JUMPING IN WATER 11. LEGER WITVOET SWIMMING 12. WITVOET LOOKING ON 13. LEGER WITVOET DRINKING WATER 14. LEGER WITVOET JUMPING IN WATER 15. WITVOET SWIMMING 16. WITVOET EATING 17. SWORDFISH NEAR BOAT 18. LEGER WITVOET BOARDING BOAT 19. JELLYFISH ON LEGER WITVOET'S SHOULDER 20. CREW REMOVING JELLYFISH 21. VARIOUS OF COUPLE DURING VIDEO CONFERENCE WITH SCHOOL CHILDREN 22. SIGN WITH TEXT READING (French): "THE ADVENTURE CONTINUES" STORY: French swimmers Matthieu Witvoet and Chloe Leger Witvoet have announced the end of their attempt to swim across the Atlantic Ocean on Friday (November 15), after a failure on their support boat rendered the journey unsafe. The couple, who began the 3,800-kilometer (2,361-mile) relay swim from Cape Verde to the French Caribbean island of Guadeloupe on October 31, shared the news on their Instagram accounts, explaining that a snapped cable connecting the boat's tiller and rudders had left the vessel unable to safely follow the swimmers. Despite attempts over 24 hours to repair the damage and test alternatives, they said the failure forced them to call off the record-setting challenge after just 13 days at sea. The expedition was part of the couple's broader mission to raise awareness about ocean conservation, with more than 100,000 schoolchildren following along through "Ocean at School," an educational programme featuring lesson plans, videos, and live updates on the swimmers' journey. While the swim has been abandoned, the couple assured followers that the educational component of their project would continue. The swimmers, who took turns in the water for six hours each per day, faced several challenges during the voyage, including encounters with jellyfish and swordfish. Their progress was supported by a team of four, including a skipper, a nurse, a videographer and a photographer, aboard the catamaran "Papagayo." The Witvoets, known for previous aquatic endeavours including swims across the Strait of Gibraltar and down the Seine River, and their crew will continue sailing to Guadeloupe, where their boat will be repaired before returning to France. (Production: Manuel Ausloos) (The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)
