NewDelhi: Injured Commander and Golden Globe Race (GGR) skipper Abhilash Tomy has been rescued by a French vessel on Monday. Tomy is in a conscious state and has been shifted to the French Fishing Vessel Osiris.
Fighting all odds, Osiris led by Irish sailor Gregor Mc Guckin reached Tomy who was lying injured in his sailing vessel in the south of Indian Ocean. Wave heights of 5-8 metres were being experienced in the area during the time of the rescue operations.
“He has been rescued and has been pulled out on a stretcher by French Fishing Vessel Osiris. He is conscious and is in safe hands,” Navy Spokesperson Captain DK Sharma told to media.
On Sunday morning, an aircraft took off to locate Tomy, an Indian Navy officer. He was injured after his vessel was hit by a vicious storm mid-way across the south Indian Ocean while taking part in the Golden Globe Race (GGR).
Aircraft P8i located Tomy and his boat Thuriya in the Southern Indian Ocean. The Navy officer, who had earlier dismasted in extremely rough weather and sea conditions, was in communication with the Race Control at France through messages.
The Race Control was relaying messages to the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC) Australia, according to the Indian Navy. Tomy had requested for a stretcher as he was not able to move on his own.
Earlier, the rescue efforts led by the Australian Defence Forces were underway off Perth, Australia, to find the 39-year old. Golden Globe Race is a sailing race around the world that started on July 1 from France.
During the storm, Tomy got dismasted and suffered a back injury. According to the Indian Navy, Commander Tomy is representing India in the GGR 2018 on an indigenously built sailing vessel ‘Thuriya’. The yacht is in the south Indian Ocean.
Commander Tomy, in his last message via satellite phone, had indicated that he was safe on the boat but was immobile due to a back injury. The naval officer is the only Indian to have circumnavigated the globe non-stop on the legendary sail Yacht INSV Mhadei. He was awarded Kirti Chakra in 2013 by the then President of India, Pranab Mukherjee. He is also a recipient of the Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award.
Bureau Report
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