Intro:

The Volvo Ocean Race's ship-wrecked nine-man Team Vestas Wind crew finally made it back to civilisation on Wednesday.

Script:

This was the moment when Team Vestas Wind ran into an Indian Ocean reef on Saturday afternoon at around 3pm Coordinated Universal Time.

The 65-foot boat that was travelling at 19 knots - the equivalent of 35 kilometres an hour - span 180 degrees and crashed to a halt, grounded on the reef.

The unshaven, exhausted team in the global Volvo Ocean Race were forced to abandon ship.

Holed up, incommunicado, for three days in the remote archipelago, the nine-man crew were stranded before being picked up by a coastguard boat and taken to Mauritius.

Since the incident, team skipper Chris Nicholson has described that night as the toughest night of his life.

SOUNDBITE (English) Chris Nicholson, skipper of Team Vestas Wind:

"The other night was for sure... was definitely the toughest night of my life - and for sure I think the same for the guys. You know, we hit the reef hard doing 19 knots and the impact's undescribable (sic)... what it's like."

Caught underneath breaking waves, the boat was badly damaged, but the team decided to remain in the area to salvage key equipment from their battered vessel.