Naval Commander Abhilash Tomy has been rescued after three days
In what is sure to give relief to well-wishers and family members of circumnavigator Abhilash Tomy, he has been rescued after three days by French vessel Osiris. He will now be brought on board Australian Naval ship HMAS Ballarat. The 39-year-old Indian Navy commander, the first to circumnavigate the globe in 2013, was badly injured while participating in the 2018 Golden Globe Race.
Abhilash, who was participating in the race on 'SV Thuriya', sent a distress call on Friday informing that his yacht had broken. His vessel was hit by 14-meter-high waves mid-way across the southern Indian Ocean. He informed he hurt his back and couldn't get up. The Indian Navy had then sent frigate INS Satpura to his rescue.
Defense Minister Nirmala Sitharaman tweeted Abhilash was conscious and doing well. "The vessel will shift him to a nearby island (I'lle Amsterdam) by evening. INS Satpura will take him to Mauritius for medical attention," she wrote.
Notably, the storm didn't just affect Abhilash. It also dismasted the yacht, Biscay 36 Hanley Energy Endurance, of Ireland's Gregor McGuckin, but he informed that he was fine. It was expected that he would also reach Abhilash soon but now a French ship has rescued the braveheart. Abhilash is a Kirti Chakra recipient and was sailing alone, as per the rules of the race.
This year the rules of GGR were similar to the one in 1968, as this year marked the 50th anniversary of the tournament. This meant sailors weren't allowed to use GPS, electronic watches, electronic compass and electronic meter, but could use LED lights, a few solar panels and wind generators. Interestingly, this aspect of the race intrigued Abhilash.
