The Indian Naval Officer Abhilash Tomy was stranded in Indian ocean after a heavy storm hit his solo boat near Australia, has been rescued today. Navy Spokesperson earlier today has updated saying just a few hours away from Abhilash Tomy.
Tomy suffered a spinal injury, is conscious and has been shifted to the French fishing vessel Osiris. According to the report, Tomy’s yacht was hit by a vicious storm with 14 metre high waves due to that he had suffered a back injury. “The Indian Navy’s P8I aircraft, which flew from Mauritius in the early hours Sunday, has located the “mast broken boat rolling excessively”, he said.
“Commander Tomy responded by ping on EPIRB as the aircraft was flying over him,” the spokesman added.
The rescue operation was being coordinated by the Australian Navy from the Australian Rescue Coordination Centre at Canberra. According to the report, The Australian Defence Department and the Indian Navy were also part of the rescue operation. An Indian Naval defence attache was also camping at the regional Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) in Australia.
The Emergency position indicating Radio Beacon is a device alerting rescue services in case of an accident at sea. There have been reports of heavy rain in that area. The aircraft is likely to fly back after three to four hours on Sunday as the Naval officer can only be rescued by naval ships.
“Commander Tomy had Sunday managed to get in touch with race organisers in France through messages and had requested for a stretcher as he could not move on his own. He was representing India in the Golden Globe Race 2018 (GGR) on an indigenously-built sailing vessel ‘S V Thuraya,” the report says.
Naval officer, Tomy became the first Indian to have circumnavigated the globe in 2013. He is the only Indian participating in the race that involves a gruelling 30,000-mile solo circumnavigation of the globe.
According to the report, Naval officer’s vessel was dismasted in extremely rough weather and sea conditions, with wind speeds of 130 km/h. He had reportedly bagged the third position in the race and sailed over 10,500 nautical miles in the last 84 days, since the race started on 1 July.
According to Franch report, “On Friday night had said 70-knot winds and 14-metre-high waves have left the yachts of Commander Tomy and Ireland’s Gregor McGuckin dismasted and twice knocked down the yacht of second-placed Dutchman Mark Slats.”
Also read: Navy locates stranded Abhilash Tomy