Ellen falls for her rescuer

Round-the-world yachtswoman Ellen MacArthur has split from her long-time boyfriend to be with the man who saved her.

MacArthur, 26, broke up with Ian McKay after Portuguese diver Louis Costa came to the rescue of her stricken vessel.

Her craft broke its mast during the Jules Verne Challenge race in the Southern Ocean earlier this year.

Mr Costa dived into treacherous seas to help her. Yesterday, he admitted they began to bond immediately.

'We had an amazing understanding in a very short time,' he added.
'We were sitting on floating boxes of food in one of the hulls, with water up to our knees, while we ate macaroni from the same pot.

'Ellen was very communicative and I started to learn to speak English for the first time. Ellen is a very nice and beautiful girl. It would be a beautiful story.'

He confirmed that the pair were friends, although MacArthur appeared reluctant to speculate on her relationship with Mr Costa.

The sailor, who finished second in the round-the-world race, confirmed her and McKay had parted. 'Ian and I split a long time ago,' she said.

MacArthur and Mr Costa are believed to be in constant contact.

He recently spent Cowes week with her as part of the support crew on her trimaran Kingfisher 2.

In 2001, MacArthur became both the fastest woman and youngest person to sail single-handedly around the world when she completed the Vendee Globe solo race.