Le Cam rescued off Cape Horn

French round-the-world yachtsman Jean Le Cam, whose boat capsized near Cape Horn, emerged from the stricken vessel on Tuesday and boarded another yacht, Chile's Navy said.

Le Cam was rescued by fellow-Frenchman Vincent Riou, who is also in the Vendee Globe solo yacht race, hours after his own vessel overturned overnight in treacherous, freezing waters off the southern tip of South America.

Riou had heard Le Cam call out to him earlier on Tuesday. Le Cam had not previously given any sign of life since triggering a distress beacon hours earlier.

"He's okay, he's happy to be here," Riou told organisers.

"The 24 hours he's been through were maybe not the toughest in his life at sea, but certainly not the most comfortable. We're both happy he's here. It was not obvious he would be, a few hours ago."