IRISH VENDEE GLOBE sailor Enda O’Coineen said Sunday he was devastated but uninjured after the mast of his boat broke south east of New Zealand.

O’Coineen’s Kilcullen Voyager-Team Ireland boat dismasted at 0830 GMT as he was racing 180 nautical miles south east of Dunedin.

“I have to laugh because if I don’t I will cry,” said the 61-year-old O’Coineen, the first Irishman to compete in the non-stop, solo around the world race.

“I am devastated. Things were going quite well. I was in good shape. Having got this far I felt we could handle anything.

“I am mastless, the deck was holed. It is not a happy situation, but there it is, you roll the dice.”

O’Coineen was sailing in 15th position with 19 competitors left in the race which set sail from the French Atlantic port of Les Sables d’Olonne on November 6.

The Irishman was positioned 6,600 nautical miles behind French leader Armel Le Cléac’h on board Banque populaire VIII.

“A full assessment of his (O’Coineen’s) situation is being made,” organisers said.

Vendee Globe standings on Sunday

1. Armel Le Cléac’h (FRA/Banque populaire VIII) at 4,734 nautical miles from finish

2. Alex Thomson (GBR/Hugo Boss) at 187.32nm from the leader

3. Jeremie Beyou (FRA/Maître CoQ) 1,017.21

4. Jean-Pierre Dick (FRA/StMichel-Virbac) 1,712.90

5. Yann Elies (FRA/Queguiner-Leucémie Espoir) 1,862.66

6. Jean Le Cam (FRA/Finistere Mer Vent) 1,876.34

7. Louis Burton (FRA/Bureau Vallee) 3,080.13

8. Nandor Fa (HUN/Spirit of Hungary) 4,215.55

9. Conrad Colman (NZL/Foresight Natural Energy) 4,392.76

10. Eric Bellion (FRA/CommeUnSeulHomme) 5,670.14

- © AFP, 2016