(Image source from: The Hindu)
In an around-the-world sailing race, an Indian sailor injured while competing in the Indian Ocean has been rescued three days after he sent out a distress signal.
The 39-year-old Abhilash Tomy was rescued on Monday by a French fishing vessel nearly 3,300km from Perth in Australia.
Indian Navy officer suffered a severe back injury on Saturday when his 10-meter boat, Thuriya, de-masted in utmost weather that saw 14-meter high waves during the Golden Globe Race.
India's Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman tweeted saying, "He will be transferred to nearby island Ile Amsterdam by evening and an Indian Navy frigate will then take him to Mauritius for medical attention."
A sense of relief to know that naval officer @abhilashtomy is rescued by the French fishing vessel. He's concious and doing okay. The vessel will shift him to a nearby island (I'lle Amsterdam) by evening. INS Satpura will take him to Mauritius for medical attention. @PIB_India
— Nirmala Sitharaman (@nsitharaman) September 24, 2018
"He is conscious and safe. Rescue efforts were delayed because of 8-to-10-meter-high waves and heavy winds," a spokesperson for the Indian Navy said.
An Indian Navy aircraft launched in Mauritius from Port Louis early on Sunday had established visual interaction with Thuriya. The Navy as well posted images of the boat with its broken mast on Twitter.
Source: Al Jazeera
Golden Globe Race organizers on Sunday posted Tomy's latest distress message, in which Indian sailor complained of chest pain and vomiting.
"ACTIVATED EPIRB. CANT WALK. MIGHT NEED STRETCHER," Tomy said in his first satellite text message on Saturday.
A subsequent message read: "CAN MOVE TOES. FEEL NUMB. CAN'T EAT OR DRINK. TOUGH 2 REACH GRAB BAG."
The badly damaged SV Thuriya picked up by an Indian Navy P8I - inside is the badly injured Cdr Tomy. Rescue vessels rushing to him. pic.twitter.com/gV0viYC62V
— Manu Pubby (@manupubby) September 23, 2018
Tomy is the lone Indian to out-and-out a solo circumnavigation around the world in a boat in 2013.
The Golden Globe Race, an arduous 48,000km solo circumnavigation of the globe, initiated this year from France on July 1.
Tomy was in the third position and in the past 84 days has sailed about 20,000km.
-Sowmya Sangam
